Badminton superfan Tok Mo still has faith in Malaysian players ahead of Paris Olympics
You can never miss Mansor Abdul Kohni at any sports event.
Always colourfully dressed, Mansor has been a keen supporter of Malaysian athletes since 1987, but he cast a forlorn figure outside the Axiata Arena in Bukit Jalil, Kuala Lumpur, on Friday.
After three days of action, only the men’s doubles pairs of Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik and Ong Yew Sin-Teo Ee Yi remained in the draw. And today, none of the local shuttlers are playing on home soil.
Despite the poor performances and an injury to the men’s singles players – Lee Zii Jia and Ng Tze Yong – Mansor has not given up hope that the duo and the other national players will do well at the Paris Olympics.
“I was disappointed to see both men’s singles lose in the opening round. Gone are the days when our men’s singles would reach the later stages of a tournament,” said Mansor, better known as Tok Mo.
“I have been supporting our sporting heroes since 1987. I have seen it all, from the greats like the Sidek brothers to Datuk Lee Chong Wei.
“They never let the fans down. Our current players are like yo-yo, not consistent at all. But, I believe they can rise to the occasion in Paris.”
The Paris Olympics is from July 21 to Aug 11, but the qualifying period ends in April.
In the Race to Paris rankings, Lee is No. 11 and Ng, two rungs below. Only the top 35 players on the list are guaranteed a ticket to the Olympics.
Ng, who suffered a muscle tear on his back, will miss a month of action but should still be able to qualify.
Mansor, 64, who is part of the Famemas supporters group, said he hopes to go to Paris to cheer for the Malaysian athletes, but for now, he wants more of them to earn their ticket to the Games.
So far, only five Malaysians – Bertrand Rhodict Lises (diving), Jonathan Wong (shooting), Ariana Nur Dania Mohamad Zairi (archery), Nur Shazrin Mohamad Latif (sailing) and Nur Aisyah Mohamad Zubir (cycling) – have qualified for Paris.
COVID-19 CONTINUES TO CIRCULATE, CHANGE, AND KILL
World Health Organisation’s (WHO) director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said earlier this week that while Covid-19 was no longer a global health emergency, it continues to circulate, change, and kill.
Data showed an increase in transmission during December, primarily due to holiday gatherings and the JN.1 variant.
WHO also reported almost 10,000 deaths in December, with a 42 per cent increase in hospitalisations and a 62 per cent increase in ICU admissions.
The data is mainly from countries in Europe and the Americas. WHO urges governments to maintain surveillance, ensure access to affordable tests, treatments, and vaccines, and encourage vaccination, testing, the wearing of masks, and well-ventilated indoor spaces.
“The coming year will test humanity’s ability to rise above division and nationalism. WHO remains committed to promoting, providing, and protecting the health of the world’s people,” said Ghebreyesus.
SAFEE SALI MAKES GAMING HISTORY
Safee Sali has joined the roster of football legends featured in eFootball 2024, marking a ground-breaking chapter in virtual sports history.
As the first Malaysian football icon to be featured in the game, Safee’s in-game representation will be featured with the distinguished EPIC card type, highlighting the significance of his contribution to football in the region.
Separately, in line with KONAMI’s partnership with the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), the integration of the AFC Asian Cup 2023 Qatar, featuring the Malaysian team (Harimau Malaya), is now a reality in eFootbal 2024.
Malaysians can immerse themselves in the thrill of playing the AFC Asian Cup with their national heroes, adding an authentic touch to their eFootball experience.
NATIONAL PRESS CLUB PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT SERIES BEGINS
The National Press Club’s (NPC) 10-part Professional Development Series, an interactive training course designed to upskill local media practitioners, began earlier this week.
NPC is working with the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC), and partners Institut Penyiaran dan Penerangan Tun Abdul Razak (IPPTAR), Telum Media, and the Crisis Management Centre. The programme is being held nationwide.
The Professional Development Series consists of compelling modules that cover relevant topics like the evolving cybersecurity landscape, data storytelling, and code of ethics.
EXPLORING SEPANG WITH THE HOP-ON-HOP-OFF BUS!
The Selangor Hop-On-Hop-Off (HOHO) Bus is coming to Sepang and will cover six tourism spots – Xiamen University Malaysia, Sepang International Circuit, HL Dragon Fruit farm, Farm Fresh (UPM), IOI City Mall, and Avani Sepang.
You can get more information here. Selangor Tourism is having a launch for the Sepang HOHO Bus on Tuesday, Jan 16.
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