PETALING JAYA: Winning the 2018 Sportswriters Association of Malaysia (SAM) Best Athlete Award Wednesday night has certainly boosted the morale of national kegler, Muhammad Rafiq Ismail to do his best in the 45th Thailand International Open Bowling Tournament which begins in Bangkok today.
The 21-year-old from Kuala Lumpur said he didn’t expect to win the accolade as there were many other national athletes who had also performed well last year.
“Hopefully, this award will motivate me to go further. I want to be among the top 10 bowlers in the world. That’s my dream,” Muhammad Rafiq said when met by the reporters after the event.
National Paralympic athlete Mohamad Ridzuan Mohd Puzi, meanwhile, hoped the 2018 SAM Best Paralympic Award he received would spur him on to chase for more glory this year.
“I would like to thank my coach, R. Jeganathan, the Malaysian Paralympic Council, my teammates and also my family, who have been the pillars of strength for me to achieve glory at the international stage these past few years,” added the Perlis-born athlete.
Both athletes received a trophy and RM10,000, presented by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah. – Bernama