__Lee_Zii_Jia_Bernama_pic_1.jpg)
KUALA LUMPUR − National track cycling champion Datuk Mohd Azizulhasni Awang and All England 2021 champion Lee Zii Jia are among the names of 15 national athletes submitted by the Olympic Council of Malaysia (OCM) as candidates for the Olympic Scholarships from the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
OCM president Tan Sri Mohamad Norza Zakaria said the 15 athletes were selected from a total of 40 nominations − involving 11 types of sports − that were received by the council to enjoy the scholarships in preparation for the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.
“Among the criteria set by the IOC is that the recipients must be among potential athletes to qualify for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games,” he told a press conference here yesterday after chairing the third OCM executive board meeting for the 2021/2025 session at Wisma OCM.
Apart from Azizulhasni and Zii Jia, Norza said the other candidates included five national badminton players, namely Aaron Chia, Soh Wooi Yik, Pearly Tan, M. Thinaah and S. Kisona as well as track cycling athletes Muhammad Shah Firdaus Sahrom and Muhd Fadhil Zonis.
Also in the list are diving queen Datuk Pandelela Rinong and diver Nur Dhabitah Sabri, archer Khairul Anuar Mohamad and three national sailors, Nuraisyah Jamil, Juni Karimah Noor Jamali and Nur Shazrin Mohd Latif.
Among the former national athletes, who received the scholarship, are sprinter Watson Nyambek and race walker Yuan Yufang, badminton players Ong Ewe Hock, Cheah Soon Kit and Choong Tan Fook, and sailor Kelvin Lim. – Bernama, January 12, 2022
