Qualifiers top Athens count

Kevin Lim will compete in his fourth Olympics.

MALAYSIA have failed again to qualify for any team sport but there has been an improvement in individual events with 31 athletes to date
making the cut for the Beijing Olympics.

In the 2004 Athens Olympics, 26 athletes from 10 sports made the cut with cyclist Josiah Ng the best performer, reaching the keirin final.

As for Beijing, M a l ay s i a n s have qualified for eight sports with Josiah down again for his pet event, the keirin, while 12 others who have competed in Athens will also see action again.

Topping the list of qualifiers is sailor Kevin Lim, who will become the first Malaysian to compete in four Olympics beginning from the 1996 Atlanta G a m e s.

Singles shuttler Wong Choong Hann and doubles pair Choong Tan Fook-Lee Wan Wah as well as diver Leong Mun Yee will join a select group of Malaysians who have made it to three Olympics when they compete in Beijing.

Swimmer Siow Yi Ting, diver Bryan Nickson Lomas, shuttlers Lee Chong Wei, Wong Pei Tty and Chin Eei Hui, walker Yuan Yufang and taekwondo exponent Elaine Teoh will be competing in the Olympics for the second time.

M a l ay s i a ’s last success in the Olympics was a silver through Cheah Soon Kit-Yap Kim Hock and a bronze courtesy of Rashid Sidek in At - lanta.

The Beijing Olympics Qualfiers — Aquatics — Swim - ming: Daniel Bego (men’s 200m frestyle, 100m and 200m butterfly), Khoo Chai Lin (women’s 400m and 800m freestyle), Siow Yi Ting (women’s 200m breaststroke, 200m and 400m individual medley), Lew Yih Wey (women’s 400m individual medley), Leung Chii Lin (women’s 50m freestyle).

Diving: D Bryan Nickson Lomas (men’s 10m individual platform), Leong Mun Yee (3m individual springboard), Elizabeth Jimie (3m springboard) and Pandelela Rinong (women’s 10m platform).

Athletics: Roslinda Samsu ( wo m e n ’s pole vault), Yuan Yufang (women’s 20km walk).

Archer y: Cheng Chu Sian, Marbawi Sulaiman, Wan Khalmizan Wan Aziz (All men’s recurve individual and team).

Badminton: Lee Chong Wei (men’s singles), Wong Choong Hann (men’s singles), Wong Mew Choo (women’s singles), Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong (men’s doubles), Choong Tan Fook-Lee Wan Wah (men’s doubles), Wong Pei Tty-Chin Eei Hui (women’s doubles).

Cycling: Josiah Ng (keirin), Azizulhasni Awang (200m sprint, team sprint), Rizal Tisin (team sprint), Muhamad Edrus (team sprint).

Sailing: Kevin Lim (Laser).

Shooting: Hasli Izwan Amir Hassan (men’s 25m rapid fire pistol).

Taekwo ndo: Elaine Teo ( wo m e n ’s below 57kg), Che Chew Chan (women’s above 67kg).

NST