CHONG WEI, NICOL CROWNED SPORTSMAN, SPORTSWOMAN FOR 2008

KUALA LUMPUR, March 24 (Bernama) -- Shuttler Lee Chong Wei and squash
queen Nicol David, both world number one's in their respective sport, were
today crowned 2008 Sportsman and Sportswoman of the Year in a glittering
ceremony here Friday.

Similarities were aplenty in the recipients as both Chong Wei and Nicol are
the current world number one in their respective sport, both are from Penang,
both are from racquet sport, both are 26 and both were also winners in 2005.

Chong Wei, the Beijing Olympic Games silver medallist and Nicol, unbeaten
throughout last year, winning 10 professional titles, received RM10,000
(US$2,760) cash each and a trophy.

However, Chong Wei who is in India for the Indian Open badminton
championships was not present to receive his trophy from the Malaysian King
Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin but Nicol was on stage to collect hers.

Apart from the Olympic silver, Chong Wei also clinched the Malaysian Open
Super Series, Singapore Open and Super Series Masters Final and finished
runner-up in the Japan Open, Macau Open and China Open last year.

Nicol on the other hand, apart from winning 10 professional titles on the
WISPA Tour, had also won the World title and led the Malaysian women's team to a
third place finish in the World Team championship.

The other nominees in the men's award were Mohd Azizul Hasni Awang
(cycling), Zulmazran Zulkifli (bowling), Safuan Said (lawn bowling), Cheng Chu
Sian (archery) and Lee Hup Wei (athletics).

The short listed candidates for the women's award were Chin Eei Hui-Wong Pei
Tty (badminton doubles), Fatehah Mustapa (cycling), Wendy Chai (bowling), Siti
Zalina Ahmad (lawn bowls), Siow Yi Ting (swimming) and Chai Fong Yin (wushu).

The awards night was indeed a double joy for badminton and Chong Wei
especially, when his coach Misbun Sidek picked up the best coach of the year
award in the men's category but there was no winner in the women's category.

Meanwhile, the men's archery team comprising Cheng Chu Sian, Muhammad
Marbawi Sulaiman and Wan Mohd Khalmizam Wan Abdul Aziz who finished 6th in the
Beijing Olympics were adjudged the Best Men's Team for 2008.

The women's title went to the national squash team comprising Nicol, Sharon
Wee, Delia Arnold and Low Wee Wern who won the Asian title and who finished
third in the World Women's Squash championship.

Former golf ace V. Nellan and Petrina Low Lain Hun were recipients of the
Special Awards in the men's and women's category while the awards night also
paid tribute to Beijing Olympic Games' Chef-de-Mission Ho Koh Chye who passed
away on Dec 4, aged 66, with a Special Award.

Koh Chye who represented the national hockey team in the 1964 Tokyo Olympics
and 1968 Mexico Olympics had also coached the Malaysian squad to a fourth
placing in the 1975 World Cup in Kuala Lumpur, hockey's best-ever result to
date.

Zul Amirul Sidi Abdullah, winner of two gold and a silver medal in swimming
events of the Asean Paragames in Korat, Thailand swept the Best Male Paralympics
Athlete while Siow Lee Chan winner of a bronze medal in powerlifting at the
Beijing Paralympics was the obvious choice for the Best Female Paralympics
athlete.
-- BERNAMA