World Blind Bowls Championships

Malaysia aim to equal previous achievement at world meet
Author: Posted by Woon/Source-Bernama
Date: 16/04/2009

Kuala Lumpur - The Malaysian lawn bowls team to the World Blind Bowls championships in Melbourne, Australia from April 18 to May 3, aim to equal their previous achievement at the meet. At the 2005 championships held in South Africa, Malaysian athletes won two bronze medals. "This time our preparations are more organised after coming under the Paralympic Unit of the National Sports Council (NSC) since January.

The athletes look more confident and if we can win anything more than the two bronze, it will be a bonus," head coach Ramlay Ibrahim told Bernama at a flag handing ceremony in Wisma MAB. During the ceremony, Malaysian Association for the Blind (MAB) President Senator Prof Datuk Dr Ismail Md Salleh handed the Jalur Gemilang to team manager Sumitha Ramasamy.

According to Ramlay, the six athletes in the squad (3 men & 3 women) who trained during weekends, would also undergo two centralised training camps from March 16-24 and April 11-17. The squad that competes in the singles and mixed pairs events, comprise of Mohd Zamrie Hasan and Nor Hayati Sarnoh (Category B1), Mohd Noorhafizan Ahmad Jais and Maznah Arbik (Category B2) and Mohd Zainuri Othman and Sharifahnur Sharfuddin (Category B3).

WORLD BLIND BOWLS CHANPIONSHIPS

Ramlay Ibrahim, the Secretary General and Amitulhai Haji Ismail (Amee) Council Member of Bowls Kuala Lumpur were given the task as Chief Coach and Assistant Coach by the Malaysian Association for the Blind (MAB) and National Sports Council of Malaysia (NSC) for the preparation of blind bowlers to the World Blind Bowls Championship in Melbourne, Australia from 21st April to 2nd May 2009.

Ramlay, the pioneer of lawn bowls in Malaysia had proven himself in the last series in Johannesburg, South Africa in 2005 by bringing back 2 bronzes in the B1 category. Ramlay against proved himself in this year championships by bringing back two goals and one silver in B1 category and one bornze in B2 category. He has set a very high standard for the next coach in Limengton Spa, England in 2013.