Monday, December 19, 2011

CYCLING: Romancing the gold medals

CYCLING: Romancing the gold medals


INTERESTINGLY, cyclists Arfy Qhairant Amran and Lauretta Eva Adrian were asked whether they are a couple during the final round of the ACC Track Asia Cup at the Kuala Lumpur Velodrome yesterday.

The two juniors had delivered all three gold medals for Malaysia who finished third overall behind Hong Kong and Iran.

"No, we're not a couple. We're just friends," said Asian junior 200m sprint champion Arfy who laughed off questions about his seemingly blossoming relationship with Sabahan Lauretta Eva, who produced a similar answer with a smile.

It was an impressive showing by the national team who were represented by riders from the Pelapis programme, as Arfy added the junior men's keirin gold medal to his 200m sprint gold on Saturday.

Lauretta Eva followed suit, seemingly inspired by Arfy's performance as she delivered a surprise women's junior keirin gold medal in what was virtually a carbon copy result of the junior men's keirin with compatriot Ummi Hamimah Mohamad coming in third for the bronze medal.

Pelapis Penang academy debutant, Marcus Malek McRone, took home the bronze medal.

Malacca-born Arfy, 18, said he was satisfied with his overall performance, as he was just beginning his new regime aimed towards the Asian Championships in Kuala Lumpur in February.

"It was also good to see the new juniors stepping up their game like Marcus. In the final, we had to change tactics as the start wasn't as planned, but still we got the result," said Arfy.

Marcus missed out on the silver, pipped in a photo-finish by Thailand's Worayut Kapunya.

Both Arfy and Lauretta Eva will now shift focus to winning places in the Asian Championships squad, Arfy is set to make the step up into the elite squad while Lauretta will likely earn a spot in the squad for junior events.

Lauretta Eva, 17, said she was more than satisfied with her victory in the keirin as it was unexpected.

"It was a great result. But now I will focus on making the squad for the Asian Championships," she said.

Earlier, the men's team sprint trio of Fattah Amri Zaid, Farhan Amri Zaid and Fakhruddin Daud lost out to Iran in the team sprint final.

Fattah impressed in the elite men's keirin, when he took a well deserved bronze in the final that was won by Iran's Mahmoud Parash ahead of his compatriot Mahmoud Rasouli. By Arnaz M. Khairul


Read more: CYCLING: Romancing the gold medals - Racing - New Straits Times http://www.nst.com.my/sports/racing/cycling-romancing-the-gold-medals-1.21269#ixzz1gwkjLffT

Lauretta, Arfy tunjuk taring raih emas

Lauretta, Arfy tunjuk taring raih emas


PELUMBA berbasikal trek pelapis negara menutup tirai Kejohanan Berbasikal Trek Piala Asia ACC 2011 di Velodrom Kuala Lumpur, Cheras semalam dengan menyumbang dua pingat emas.

Kedua-dua pingat emas dipungut oleh Lauretta Eva Adrian dan Muhd Arfy Qhairant Amran, masing-masing dalam acara keirin remaja wanita dan lelaki.


Bagi Lauretta Eva, 17, kemenangan pingat emas itu adalah di luar jangkaan dan pingat emas pertama yang pernah dimenanginya.

“Saya tidak sangka dapat meraih pingat emas. Saya hanya sempat berlatih cuma seminggu saja sebelum kejohanan ini bermula kerana menduduki peperiksaan Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia.


“Saingan sememangnya sengit dan saingan utama saya adalah pelumba dari Iran, dia begitu kuat,” kata pelumba yang berasal dari Kota Kinabalu, Sabah itu.


Pada perlumbaan acara keirin remaja wanita itu, Lauretta Eva yang mencatat masa 13.781 saat berjaya mengatasi saingan daripada Reihaneh Talebisomeehsaraei dari Iran dengan perbezaan hanya 0.001 saat.

Lauretta Eva berharap dia mampu meraih pingat emas dalam acara sama pada Kejohanan Berbasikal Asia Februari depan.


Sementara pingat gangsa acara itu menjadi milik pelumba negara Umi Hamimah Mohamad dengan catatan masa 14.136s.

Bagi Muhd Arfy Qhairant, ia adalah pingat emas keduanya apabila berjaya mengekalkan kejuaraan dimenanginya pada siri kejohanan yang sama tahun lalu.


Pingat perak acara itu dimenangi Warayut Kapunya dari Thailand manakala pingat gangsa menjadi milik seorang lagi pelumba Malaysia, Malek Marcus McCrone.


Dalam kategori elit keirin lelaki, wakil negara Mohd Fattah Amri hanya meraih pingat gangsa, sementara pingat emas dan perak dimenangi dua pelumba Iran, Mahmoud Parash dan Mahmoud Rasouli.


Secara keseluruhan Malaysia berada di kedudukan ketiga selepas mengumpul tiga pingat emas, dua perak dan empat gangsa.

Malaysia tambah pingat emas

Malaysia tambah pingat emas
Oleh SHAHRIL NIZAM ABDULLAH
shahril@kosmo.com.my

DARI kiri, Mohd. Fattah, Muhd. Arfy, Lauretta Eva , Ummi Hamimah dan Malek Marcus menunjukkan pingat yang mereka menangi semalam.

SKUAD trek negara menutup tirai pada Kejuaraan Lumba Basikal Trek Piala Asia ACC 2011 dengan bergaya apabila mengutip dua lagi pingat emas di Velodrom Kuala Lumpur, Cheras semalam.

Dua pingat emas tersebut hadir menerusi pelumba remaja negara, Muhammad Arfy Qhairant Amran dan Lauretta Eva Adrian masing-masing dalam acara Keirin lelaki dan wanita remaja.

Ini adalah emas kedua disumbang pelumba berbakat, Arfy pada Piala Asia ACC 2011 itu selepas dia turut memenangi emas dalam acara pecut remaja lelaki kelmarin.

Secara keseluruhannya, Malaysia yang mempertaruhkan pelumba-pelumba skuad pelapis negara melabuhkan tirai pusingan ketiga itu di tangga ketiga dengan kutipan tiga pingat emas, dua perak dan empat gangsa.

Hong Kong muncul juara keseluruhan siri terakhir Piala Asia ACC 2011 itu dengan 12 pingat emas, enam perak dan tiga gangsa, diikuti Iran (5-5-3), Jepun di tempat keempat (2-6-3) dan Thailand kelima (1-3-2).

Pengurus skuad trek kebangsaan, Datuk Naim Mohamad jelas sekali gembira dengan peningkatan positif pelumba-pelumba daripada program pelapis ini yang membuktikan potensi sebenar yang ada dalam diri mereka.

"Walaupun kita menduduki tempat ketiga keseluruhan, bagi saya ia adalah suatu pencapaian yang positif kerana kita menurunkan pelumba daripada skuad pelapis sahaja," kata Naim semalam.

"Tujuan utama kita menurunkan skuad pelapis serta pasukan Serantau Pulau Pinang dan Serantau Ipoh adalah untuk memberi pendedahan yang berterusan kepada pemain remaja kita.

"Kita tidak boleh bandingkan dengan pencapaian pasukan Hong Kong kerana mereka menurunkan barisan pelumba elit mereka di sini, sebab itu mereka muncul juara keseluruhan," tambahnya lagi.

Menurut Naim, tiga siri pusingan Trek Piala Asia ACC yang berlangsung di tiga gelanggang iaitu Jepun, Bangkok dan Kuala Lumpur merupakan platform terbaik dalam program pembangunan sukan trek berbasikal negara.

Malah kata Naim, Persekutuan Kebangsaan Berbasikal Malaysia (PKBM) juga sedang merangka program untuk melahirkan pelumba baharu bagi skuad Olimpik 2016.

"Kita sedang melihat kepada pembangunan sukan trek berbasikal bagi masa akan datang iaitu perancangan untuk melahirkan pelumba bagi program Sukan Olimpik 2016 nanti.

"Justeru, Trek Piala Asia ACC ini dilihat amat penting dan menjadi kayu pengukur dalam aspek pendedahan dan pengalaman pemain-pemain remaja kita bagi jangka masa lima atau enam tahun lagi," kata Naim lagi.

Selain dua emas, skuad negara turut memenangi satu perak menerusi acara pecut berpasukan lelaki, satu gangsa menerusi Mohd. Fattah Amri Zaid (Keirin lelaki), manakala Malek Marcus Mc Crone dari serantau Pulau Pinang memenangi gangsa (Keirin remaja lelaki) dan pelumba Serantau Ipoh, Ummi Hamimah Mohamad turut membawa pulang gangsa (Keirin remaja wanita).

Dalam kutipan mata Piala Asia ACC pula, skuad negara menduduki tempat kelima dengan 44 mata di belakang Taiwan (47), manakala Hong Kong muncul juara keseluruhan (153), diikuti Jepun (136) dan Iran (114) selepas tiga siri ACC 2011.

Mohd Arfy and Lauretta deliver sweet victories in Track Asia Cup


Golden flourish: Malaysian cyclists Mohd Arfy Qhairant Amran (right) and Lauretta Eva Adrian celebrate with their Track Asia Cup cycling gold medals at the Cheras Velodrome in Kuala Lumpur yesterday. – AHMAD IZZRAFIQ ALIAS / The Star.

19.12.11

Mohd Arfy and Lauretta deliver sweet victories in Track Asia Cup
By SHAMSHUL FITRI


KUALA LUMPUR: There were sweet victories for Mohd Arfy Qhairant Amran and Lauretta Eva Adrian on the final day of the Track Asia Cup cycling competition at the Cheras Velodrome yesterday.

Arfy bagged the men’s junior keirin gold while Lauretta made up for the disappointment of falling short in the sprint, where she finished fourth, to win the women’s junior keirin.

For the 18-year-old Arfy, who is the reigning Asian junior sprint champion, it was his second gold medal of the competition having bagged the sprint title on Saturday.

“I was surprised to win the keirin as I wasn’t feeling right at the start of the day. My body just didn’t feel good before the race,” he said.


Golden flourish: Malaysian cyclists Mohd Arfy Qhairant Amran (right) and Lauretta Eva Adrian celebrate with their Track Asia Cup cycling gold medals at the Cheras Velodrome in Kuala Lumpur yesterday. – AHMAD IZZRAFIQ ALIAS / The Star.
“Our tactics also didn’t go as planned but I managed to hang on to outsprint the others on the home straight.”

Arfy had the help of Pelapis riders Mohd Fauzan Nor Azman and Malik Marcus McCrone, who won the bronze medal, to chart their strategy in the race.

He said the plan was for one of the Pelapis duo to ride behind the derny (motorised bike) to set the pace.

“But immediately after the start, Thai rider Worayut Kapunya, who won the silver, got in behind the derny and we had to change plans,” said Arfy.

Lauretta redeemed herself by winning the keirin after losing the sprint bronze medal to Thai rider Apinya Promboot on Saturday.

“Never in my wildest dream did I think I would win the gold medal because I only started training seriously last week after my SPM examination,” she said.

“This result will spur me on to do well in the Asian Championships here in February.”

Reihaneh Talebisomeehsaraei of Iran grabbed the silver medal while Pelapis rider Ummi Hamimah Mohd was third.

The men’s team of Mohd Fattah Amri Zaid, Mohd Farhan Amri Zaid and Fakhruddin Daud were no match for their Iranian rivals in the team sprint and had to settle for the silver medal.

The Iranian trio of Mahmoud Parash, Mahmoud Rasouli and Ali Askari stopped the clock in 1:03.478 while the Malaysian trio clocked1:06.617, slightly slower than their qualifying time of 1:06.012.

Emas berganda Arfy

Emas berganda Arfy
MOHD. Arfy Qhairant Amran (dua dari kiri) dan Lauretta Eva Adrian (tengah) bersama pelumba negara yang turut meraih pingat pada kejohanan Berbasikal Trek Piala Asia ACC 201 di Velodrom Cheras, semalam. - utusan/MOHD NOOR AMIN 19.12.11 Oleh: FERZALFIE FAUZI ferzalfie.fauzi@utusan.com.my

MOHD. Arfy Qhairant Amran (dua dari kiri) dan Lauretta Eva Adrian (tengah) bersama pelumba negara yang turut meraih pingat pada kejohanan Berbasikal Trek Piala Asia ACC 201 di Velodrom Cheras, semalam. - utusan/MOHD NOOR AMIN

KUALA LUMPUR - Kontinjen negara mengakhiri saingan Berbasikal Trek Piala Asia ACC 2011 dengan menambah dua lagi pingat emas dalam acara keirin akhir remaja lelaki dan wanita di Velodrom Cheras, semalam.

Pelumba remaja negara, Mohd. Arfy Qhairant Amran bukan sahaja berjaya mempertahankan pingat emas yang dimenanginya tahun lalu tetapi berjaya menambah koleksi pingat selepas turut muncul juara dalam acara pecut kelmarin.

Kecemerlangan Arfy diteruskan pelumba remaja wanita negara, Lauretta Eva Adrian yang berjaya meraih pingat emas pertamanya dalam kejohanan tersebut walaupun tidak diletakkan sebarang harapan.

Arfy, 18, tidak menghadapi masalah untuk mengenepikan pencabarnya dari Thailand, Worayut Kapunya, yang sekadar berpuas hati dengan meraih pingat perak.

Pingat gangsa acara tersebut turut diraih seorang lagi pelumba negara, Marcus Malik McCrone.

Menurut Arfy, dia amat berpuas hati kerana berjaya mempertahankan pingat emas yang dimenanginya tahun lepas, lebih manis ia merupakan pingat emas keduanya dalam kejohanan itu.

"Kami mempunyai kelebihan kerana tiga pelumba Malaysia beraksi pada saingan akhir, saya juga sudah berbincang strategi apa yang akan digunakan dalam perlumbaan namun ia agak kurang menjadi," katanya.

Sementara itu, Lauretta tidak sangka berjaya meraih emas pertama dalam saingan tersebut sedangkan pemenang pingat perak, Reihaneh Talebisomeehsaraei dari Iran merupakan pelumba pilihan.

"Sebelum ini dia (Reihaneh) sering memenangi perlumbaan ini, namun hari ini (semalam) saya berjaya melakukan kejutan dengan menumpaskannya saya agak terkejut dengan kejayaan ini," kata pelumba berusia 17 tahun dari Sabah itu.

Pingat gangsa turut dimenangi oleh pelumba negara, iaitu Ummi Hamimah Mohamad yang merupakan pelumba dari Akademi Serantau Ipoh.

Malaysia turut meraih satu perak dalam acara pecut berpasukan dan satu gangsa melalui Mohd. Fattah Amri Zaid dalam acara keirin elit.

Malaysia menamatkan saingan Berbasikal Trek Piala Asia ACC 2011 dengan meraih tiga emas dua perak dan enam gangsa.

Hong Kong muncul juara keseluruhan selepas memungut 12 emas, enam perak dan tiga gangsa, diikuti Iran lima emas, lima perak dan tiga gangsa.

Sunday, December 18, 2011

Arfy ends drought

Arfy ends drought
By SHAMSHUL FITRI




KUALA LUMPUR: Reigning Asian junior champion Mohd Arfy Qhairant Amran delivered Malaysia’s first gold medal in the Track Asia Cup cycling championships at the Cheras Velodrome yesterday.

Arfy was in dominant form, defeating Hong Kong’s Lok Chun Wu 2-0 in the sprint final.

“It was tough as the Hong Kong rider has a lot of power and I’m not really at my peak yet,” said Arfy.


All smiles: Missy Franklin (facing camera) smiles as she is congratulated by Sharon Van Rouwendaal of Holland after winning the women’s 200m backstroke during the Duel in the Pool swimming competition at the Georgia Tech Aquatic Centre in Atlanta, Georgia on Friday. — Reuters
“But I felt better compared to when I won the 1km time trial bronze on Friday. I’m glad I nailed the gold medal.”

Aboulfazi Zarezadehmehrizi of Iran beat Thailand’s Worayut Kapunya for the bronze.

Malaysia’s Sofian Nabil Omar Bakri grabbed the silver medal in the men’s junior point race despite having a fever. The race was won by Hong Kong’s Chun Wing Leung while Ruslan Feddrovof Uzbekistan settled for the bronze.

Hamdan Hamidun delivered Malaysia’s third bronze medal clocking 3:48.194 in the junior 3km individual pursuit. Chun Wing Leung of Hong Kong won the gold medal in 3:40.182 while Ruslan Feddrov of Uzbekistan took the silver in 3:42.490.

Malaysian senior sprinters were outclassed yesterday with Mohd Fattah Amri Zaid the best finisher in fifth place and Ju Pha Somnet seventh. Junior sprinter Lauretta Eva Adrian finished fourth in her race.

The men’s sprint team still have a chance to nick the gold medal today in their match against hot favourites Iran.

Fattah, his brother Mohd Farhan and Mohd Fakhruddin Daud were second fastest in 1:06.012. The Iranian trio of Mahmoud Parash, Mahmoud Rasouli and Ali Askari stopped the clock in 1:03.929 while Hong Kong were third fastest in 1:06.193.

Arfy sumbang emas pertama


18 Disember 2011

Arfy sumbang emas pertama

PELUMBA negara, Muhd. Arfy (depan) tampil hebat semalam untuk menyumbangkan pingat emas pertama negara pada Kejohanan Trek Piala Asia ACC yang berlangsung di Velodrom Kuala Lumpur, Cheras semalam.

MUHD. Arfy Qhairant Amran yang meraih pingat gangsa kelmarin, tampil hebat semalam untuk menyumbang pingat emas pertama negara pada Kejohanan Trek Piala Asia ACC 2011 di Velodrom Kuala Lumpur, Cheras.

Arfy, 18, meraih pingat emas dalam acara pecut remaja lelaki dengan mencatat masa 11.436 saat pada pusingan pertama dan 11.443s pada pusingan kedua.

Pingat perak dimenangi oleh pelumba Hong Kong, Wu Lok Chun dan pingat gangsa menjadi milik, Aboulfazi Zarezadehmehrizi dari Iran.

"Selepas berehat semalam (kelmarin), saya mula mengumpul semangat untuk melakukan yang terbaik pada acara ini dan saya berpuas hati dengan pencapaian ini.

"Saingan acara pecut ini agak sengit juga. Dari segi catatan masa pula saya puas hati juga sebab saya baru hendak mula meningkatkan prestasi saya selepas prestasi merudum pada kejohanan dunia lepas," katanya.

Sementara itu, Lauretta Eva Adrian yang bersaing dalam kategori wanita kempunan untuk meraih pingat gangsa selepas kalah kepada pelumba Thailand, Apinya Promboot dalam perlumbaan penentuan pingat gangsa.

Pingat emas acara itu dimenangi oleh Leung Bo Yee dari Hong Kong dan pingat perak, Reihaneh Talebisomeehsaraei dari Iran.

Dalam acara 16 kilometer (km) perlumbaan mata remaja lelaki, Sofian Nabil Omar Mohd. Bakri meraih pingat perak selepas mengumpul 22 mata di belakang Leung Chun Wing dari Hong Kong dengan 66 mata untuk pingat emas.

Pingat gangsa acara itu dimenangi Ruslan Feddrov dari Uzbekistan dengan 15 mata.

Malaysia turut meraih pingat gangsa dalam acara 3km kejar mengejar individu remaja lelaki melalui Hamdan Hamidun dengan catatan masa 3:48.194s dan pingat emas dan perak acara itu dimenangi Leung Chun Wing dari Hong Kong dan Ruslan Feddrov dari Uzbekistan, masing-masing dengan masa 3:40.182s dan 3:42.490s.

http://www.kosmo.com.my/kosmo/content.asp?y=2011&dt=1218&pub=Kosmo&sec=Sukan&pg=su_08.htm

Saturday, December 17, 2011

Dua gangsa buka tirai basikal ACC

Dua gangsa buka tirai basikal ACC
KUALA LUMPUR - Dua gangsa menjadi penawar skuad berbasikal trek negara
pada pembuka tirai Kejohanan Berbasikal Trek Piala Asia ACC 2011 yang
berlangsung di Velodrom Cheras, semalam.
Malaysia yang dibarisi pelumba pelapis meraih gangsa pertama menerusi
Muhd. Arfy Qhairant Amran dalam acara satu kilometer ujian masa
kategori remaja dan Mohd. Fakhruddin Daud menambah pungutan gangsa
bagi kategori elit.
Arfy mencatat 1:10.115 saat tetapi gagal mengekang kehebatan pelumba
Thailand, Thanawut Sanikwathi 1:08.417s yang meraih emas manakala
perak milik pelumba Hong Kong, Lok Chun Wu dengan catatan 1.09.918s.
Pelumba kelahiran Melaka itu mengakui kurang berpuas hati dengan
kayuhannya walaupun berjaya menyumbang pingat pertama buat kontinjen
negara tatkala prestasinya agak menurun sejak kebelakangan ini.
"Prestasi saya selepas pulang dari Kejohanan Trek Dunia Remaja di
Moscow pertengahan Ogos lalu agak menurun kerana tidak sempat berehat
sebaliknya terus berlatih selama tiga bulan di Melbourne bersama
pelumba-pelumba elit.
"Bagaimanapun ketua jurulatih, John Beasley memberi nasihat kepada
saya agar bangkit perlahan-lahan mencari rentak kerana ini kejohanan
pertama saya selepas pulang dari Melbourne, walaupun saya bersemangat
untuk mempertahankan emas keirin yang dimenangi tahun lalu di sini,"
katanya.
Kata Arfy, pencabarnya dalam kategori remaja pada saingan kali ini
ialah pelumba Thailand dan Hong Kong yang menurunkan pelumba remaja
utama masing-masing baik dalam saingan keirin, pecut dan juga satu
kilometer ujian masa.
Sementara itu, Fakhruddin gembira kerana berjaya meraih pingat
individu pertamanya bagi kategori elit.
Pelumba berpengalaman Iran, Mahmoud Parash menamatkan perlumbaan
dengan catatan 1:06.899s untuk meraih emas diikuti Kenta Inake dari
Jepun 1:08.013s.
"Sebelum ini saya ada memenangi pingat gangsa dalam kejohanan yang
sama di Bangkok dalam acara pecut berpasukan bersama Akmal Amrun dan
Mohd. Fattah Amir Zahid tetapi pingat individu adalah lebih manis,"
kata pelumba kelahiran Muar ini.
Selain Arfy dan Fakhruddin, pelumba wanita negara turut mengambil
bahagian dalam acara 500m ujian masa menerusi Lauretta Eva Adrian dan
Ummi Hamimah Mohamad (kategori remaja) dan Ju Pha Som Net (kategori
elit) namun, kesemuanya gagal meraih sebarang pingat.
http://www.utusan.com.my/utusan/info.asp?y=2011&dt=1217&pub=Utusan_Malaysia&sec=Sukan&pg=su_04.htm

Sunday, December 4, 2011

SPORTCHECK: Delivering results

SPORTCHECK: Delivering results

By DEVINDER SINGH


SPORTS schools are playing an increasingly important role in the success of national athletes as evidenced at the recent Indonesia Sea Games.

Be they national or state level, the effort led by Bukit Jalil Sports School (BJSS) and the Tengku Mahkota Ismail Sports School (TMISS) in Bandar Penawar, Johor is producing tangible results.

  While talent is still being developed outside the government funded system, the steady stream of sport graduates from BJSS and TMISS has become the lifeblood of Malaysian hopes for excellence on the sporting stage.

  The two national sports schools are tasked with developing 20 sports and the schools came through in Indonesia where "Pelapis" athletes -- part of the development programme under the auspices of the National Sports Council (NSC) which draws most of its athletes from sports schools -- won four gold, four silver and 13 bronze medals.

  The tally does not include the football gold medal which includes several players from the Young Tigers who graduated from BJSS with one -- Nazmi Faiz Mansor -- still a student at the school having deferred his SPM examinations this year to play in the Sea Games.

  A total of 51 athletes from the Pelapis programme competed in Indonesia and while most are former BJSS students, nine are still students at the schools and seven are from regional centres in Penang and Langkawi.

  NSC Pelapis division director Jefri Ngadirin said given the focus of the sports schools in developing talent for the various sports, it is inevitable that the large majority of back-up athletes will come from these schools.

  "There were 51 athletes, second-liners, who went to the Sea Games and out of these 40 qualified under Category A, which means they got in on merit. Aside from these 52, we had another 60 athletes who were just recently in March promoted from the Pelapis category to elite squads.

  "That Pelapis athletes won four gold medals is testament to the good work being done by coaches at the various youth levels. The gold medals were not expected as most were competing at the Games for the first time and were there for exposure," said Jefry.

  Jefri said he expects to see more athletes move up to elite status next year and the process of replenishing the ranks at Pelapis level starts once again.

  "Those athletes who excel will move up to the elite level and we will replace them by taking in athletes emerging from the sports schools, regional and state centres," he added, citing the case of archer Nurul Syafiqah Hashim.

  Syafiqah, 17, who is undertaking pre-university studies at BJSS, recently qualified for the 2012 London Olympics and has been fast-tracked into the archery elite squad.

  The Kuala Lumpur archer won a silver medal at the Sea Games in the mixed recurve event and with enough exposure, could go on to better things in the sport.

  Her's is not the only example as the sports schools have produced champions in track cycling, diving, squash and badminton in recent times.

  The success of badminton players, especially, have caught the eye when Nelson Heg Wei Keat and Teo Ee Yi became the third successive doubles pair from BJSS to emerge world junior champions.

  They followed in the path of Ow Yao Han-Chooi Kah Ming (2009) and Yao Han-Yew Hong Kheng (2010) and much of the success of the doubles pairs are down to BJSS doubles chief coach Yap Kim Hock, an Olympic silver medalist in 1996 at Atlanta with Cheah Soon Kit.

  Kim Hock said the process of developing talent at junior level is long and tedious but a challenge he welcomed  gladly.

  "From my many years of experience playing and coaching, I have been able to develop programmes to ensure our players are put on the road of success. There is no one golden pill in developing champions, a lot of hard work and dedication is needed on the part of players and coaches.

  "I've learned from some of the best coaches and I'm just putting into practice the best parts of all the various  programmes. Year by year, we make improvements to the programmes to ensure our players stay a step ahead of the competition," said Kim Hock.

  Taking in the best coaches is a successful formula, at least for BJSS, with various achievements at national junior level.

  Under the guidance of former international Ismail Ibrahim, BJSS shocked the competition to win the football Under-20 President's Cup in 2010 with a squad made up largely of Form Five players.

  In hockey, BJSS won the National Junior Hockey League league and cup double six times while TMISS-Thunderbolt were league victors in 2010 and overall champions this year. Both teams also play in the senior Malaysia Hockey League Division One with limited success.

  Another BJSS athlete, Ng Eain Yow, won the prestigious British Junior Open squash Under-13 boys' title early this year.

  But if there is one drawback to the national sports school system, it is the limited number of places available.

  BJSS and TMISS combined can cater to about 1,000 students and quite often, players are drafted into the school at a late stage of development.

  Despite  his success in developing world junior champions, Kim Hock feels he needs more time to develop true world beaters in the mould of Lee Chong Wei.

  "At present, I get the players when they are in Form Four after selecting them from the inter-state junior tournaments. Ideally, I need three to five years to really develop players into becoming world class.

  "I know three pairs have gone on to become world junior champions, but if I had more time with them from when they were younger, they would be even better players than they are now," said Kim Hock.