Water ski team confident of retaining eight medals at SEA Games

Malaysian Waterski and Wakeboard Federation (MWWF) is confident of retaining eight medals in upcoming 2015 Sea Games in Singapore from June 5 to 16.

Water ski, which is making a return to the SEA Games after a four-year lapse, is among the future medal hopes for the country with the rise of young talents.

MWWF head coach, Hanifah Yoong said the medal target remains eight, however, the gold medal target is lower this time due the retirement of 2011's double gold winner, Phillipa Yoong.

"This year we target two gold, two silver and four bronze medals.

"Our present national squad for the 2015 SEA Games comprises very young athletes and has an average age of 16 years and our objective is to win six gold medals from a total eight medals from this squad in the 2017 Sea Games in Kuala Lumpur," he told Bernama recently.

Commenting on the squad's preparations, Hanifah said the squad is training hard to obtain their aim.

"The team's training is going very well. Team is training five days a week on the water and one day a week off water," he added.

In 2011, the national squad won a total of four gold, three silver and a bronze at the Indonesian edition.

Hanifah's daughter, Aaliyah Yoong Hanifah, aged eight then, created a great surprise by becoming the youngest gold medallist at the SEA Games by winning the women's tricks event, defeating Sareeya Promsuntisit of Thailand and fellow Malaysian Phillipa Clare.

Hanifah said she is targeted to bag two gold medals, in women's tricks and overall event, in Singapore.

Beside Aaliyah, other athletes targeted to contribute medals are former Formula One racer, Alex Yoong in men's overall (silver), slalom and tricks (bronze); Arianna Chow Sze Ai in women's tricks (bronze) and jump (bronze); and Aiden Yoong Hanifah in men's tricks (bronze).

The Sea Games preparation would also be a great boost for the athletes for the two upcoming major events to be held at Malaysia namely, International Waterski and Wakeboard Federation's (IWWF) Waterski and Wakeboard World Cup at Langkawi from May 1 to 3 and IWWF Waterski World Cup at Putrajaya from Oct 27 to 31.