Daniel hampir pasti tidak ke Sukan SEA

Daniel Bego sudah kembali berlatih minggu lalu, namun tidak pasti sempat beraksi di Sukan SEA Palembang, November ini.

KUALA LUMPUR - Harapan Malaysia mahu mengulangi pencapaian membolot 15 pingat emas Sukan SEA menerusi akuatik di Laos dua tahun lalu menerima tamparan besar dengan jaguh renang kebangsaan, Daniel Bego mungkin tidak sempat pulih sepenuhnya untuk temasya di Indonesia itu, November ini.

Daniel yang merangkul lima emas, dua tahun lalu, baru kembali berlatih minggu lepas selepas berehat beberapa bulan kerana menjalani pembedahan bahu untuk memperbetulkan masalah Osteophyte.

Osteophyte ialah ketumbuhan yang terbentuk pada tulang biasa dan ia boleh menjadi amat menyakitkan apabila menyentuh tisu lembut atau ligamen.

Namun, pergerakannya masih terbatas dan yang hanya terdaya dilakukannya adalah menjalani latihan ringan.
Anak jati Sarawak berusia 21 tahun itu yang ditemui di Pusat Akuatik Nasional, semalam mengakui peluangnya untuk beraksi di Palembang amat tipis.

"Saya baru mula berlatih sejak minggu lalu, tetapi sekadar terapung-apung atas air dan cuba menyesuaikan diri dalam kolam.

"Saya hampir pasti tidak dapat pergi ke Palembang," katanya.
Daniel bagaimanapun menegaskan dirinya langsung tidak terjejas selepas berehat panjang dan fikirannya masih 100 peratus tertumpu kepada berenang.

"Itulah sebabnya saya memilih untuk menjalani pembedahan. Saya masih menanam harapan melayakkan diri ke Olimpik tahun depan," ujarnya.

Sementara itu, ketua jurulatih skuad renang kebangsaan, Paul Birmingham juga akur dengan ketiadaan Daniel untuk mengetuai cabaran Malaysia ke Palembang.

"Saya tidak mahu terlalu mengharap. Daripada apa yang saya perhatikan sejak minggu lalu, dia masih tidak dapat berenang seperti biasa.

"Saya jangka dia tidak sempat dengan masa hanya tinggal dua tiga bulan lagi. Mustahil dia dapat melakukannya dalam tempoh sesingkat itu," jelasnya.



Oleh TAN MING WAI
tan.mingwai@utusan.com.my

EPL Tours Boost Local Game

Not my words, them's the opinions of the EPL spokesman whatever his name is.

My latest Jakarta Globe column doesn't necessarily agree with that!

A Masterpiece Of Timing

Indonesia are hosting the 2011 SEA Games. This tournament features the Under 23 teams from the ASEAN nations and initially they were to be held in Palembang. But then it was decided that the stadium there, the Jakabaring, wouldn't be ready on time.

So the whole caboodle was shifted to Jakarta with Bung Karno (capacity 88,000) and Lebak Bulus (capacity 12,000) sharing the honours.

Which is all fine and hunky dory. But this year also sees the World Cup qualifiers and Indonesia have only gone and reached the 3rd qualifying round. The draw sees them hosting Iran on 15 November which is slap bang in the middle of the SEA Games.

In this part of the world an Under 23 tournament will trump the World Cup. Hell, an ASEAN Women's Subbuteo event would trump the World Cup.

Apparently FIFA doesn't like stadiums hosting major football events to hold anything else in the run up to said game. Which is awkward in Jakarta as Bung Karno is used for civil servant exams to religious revival events to political rallies with everything inbetween. Including of course the SEA Games.

So far the PSSI are suggesting the Jalak Harapat Stadium be used for the Iran game. It is fairly close to an international airport, Bandung, if the Iran team fly from Tehran on a budget airline and transit in Kuala Lumpur.

Another issue I guess has yet to be considered. If the Indonesia Super League 2011/2012 ever gets started this calender year then Persija will be hoping to play their home games at the Bung Karno. But won't be able to 'cos the SEA Games take priority.

For such a football mad nation it's daft the capital city has only one major arena capabale of hosting anything beyond an old ladies tea party.

Rashid sindir jurulatih

“KALAU pada Sukan Sea tahun ini skuad negara tak dapat sekurang-kurangnya satu pingat emas, lebih baik turun ‘takhta’ saja.”

Demikian sindiran keras bekas pemain sepak takraw negara, Rashid Yahaya kepada barisan jurulatih yang membimbing skuad negara selepas kecewa melihat prestasi skuad negara yang semakin merundum sejak kebelakangan ini, termasuk terbaru tewas kepada kelab dari Thailand, Tirathai pada saingan final Piala Egat di Rayong.

Kekalahan terbaru itu meneruskan cerita kegagalan skuad negara selepas tewas kepada skuad takraw Thailand pada final Piala Dunia di Stadium Titiwangsa, Kuala Lumpur kira-kira dua minggu lalu.
Bagi Rashid, tiada gunanya untuk mereka menyandang jawatan sebagai jurulatih andai tidak dapat mengubah nasib skuad negara yang sering dibayangi kehebatan Thailand sejak sekian lama.

“Belum pergi satu-satu kejohanan sudah tanya berapa banyak elaun yang bakal diterima, kalau menang apa ganjarannya. Apa semua ini? “Jelas sikap pemain dan jurulatih sekarang tidak sama dengan pemain dulu. Nak mewakili negara semata-mata mahukan wang, tidak seperti zaman saya dulu yang hanya dibayar elaun antara RM3 hingga RM5 saja.

“Tapi ketika itu bukan wang yang kami pandang, sebaliknya kejayaan menjadi keutamaan. Pendek kata, kami bermain semata-mata untuk negara,” katanya.

Bagi Rashid, gesaan untuk mengundurkan diri itu bukan saja tertumpu ke arah barisan jurulatih tempatan, malah ia juga membabitkan dua perunding Thailand yang dilantik baru-baru ini iaitu Trawet Intar dan Taweet Wongkaen yang pada anggapannya tidak membawa impak besar kepada skuad negara.

“Apa gunanya lantik dua perunding dari Thailand ini? Saya tak nampak ada manfaatnya untuk skuad negara. Lebih baik suruh saja mereka pulang ke Thailand.

“Banyak lagi bekas pemain negara yang berkemampuan dan sedia untuk memikul tugas menggantikan dua perunding dari Thailand itu. Jadi apa salahnya gunakan khidmat anak tempatan,” katanya.



myMetro

Boas Rejects Malaysia Move

Persipura and Indonesia striker Boas Solossa has reportedly turned down a move to Malaysia. Apparently the money on offer was pretty good but Boas has said he wants to stay in Indonesia with the champions.

The Malaysian team? Not any of the big boys like Selangor or Kelantan or Kedah but Sime Darby!

LPI Team Want Fandi

In Singapore Fandi Ahmad is a legend. While it appears these days he is more focused on his childrens's education, his scouting activities and his own academy there is one Indonesian team that reckon he could do a job for them.

Cendrawasih Papua are 19th in the 19 team Liga Primer Indonesia which is currently on an indefinite mid season break. They have just one win all season. This story suggests they would like Fandi to coach them for the second half of the season.

Fandi has experience of course in Indonesia having spent three years with Pelita Jaya. But will he want to return knowing that every away game will be a flight of at least three hours or more?

Dunno!

Door Still Open For Weightlifters To Earn SEA Games Ticket

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 1 (Bernama) -- The door is still open for national weightlifters to earn a ticket to the 2011 SEA Games in Indonesia, provided they can achieve good results at the National Weightlifting Circuit, to be held next month.

Malaysian Weightlifting Federation President Zafarul Akbar Kassim said even if weightlifters who achieved good results are not from the elite or back up squad, the federation would consider them for selection.

He said a number of weightlifters regarded as "underdogs" had caused upsets in the first circuit held in Bangi, Selangor.

"We see it as a positive development and hope by organising the second circuit, more weightlifters will qualify for the SEA Games," he told Bernama.

Zafarul said the Olympic Council of Malaysia (OCM) had also given its consent to the federation to hold the second circuit before the Sept 25 dateline for sending names of athletes.

"Our selection will be purely based on merit," he said.

At the 2009 SEA Games in Laos, weightlifting contributed three silver and two bronze medals.

Meanwhile, Zafarul said the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) had commended the federation for successfully hosting the 37th Men's and 17th Women's World Junior Weightlifting Championships at the Penang International Sports Arena (PISA) from June 30 to July 7.

"IWF in its message congratulated the organiser for organising the best championships in the history of the event," he said.

Zafarul said although Malaysian weightlifters did not win any medals in the championships, there were many who had performed exceptionally well by surpassing their personal best.

"It was a good experience and exposure for the young weightlifters in the country and a tremendous opportunity to compete against world class weightlifters," he said.

-- BERNAMA