Izzat Shameer And Li Jane Crowned Perak Sportsman, Sportswoman

IPOH, July 30 (Bernama) -- National lawn bowling athlete Izzat Shameer Dzulkeple and national tenpin bowling athlete Sin Li Jane were crowned Sportsman and Sportswoman respectively at the 2023/2024 Perak State Sports Awards (ASN) Ceremony here tonight.

The Sultan of Perak Sultan Nazrin Shah graced the event, presenting the awards to Izzat Shameer and Li Jane.

Also attending the ceremony was the Raja Permaisuri of Perak Tuanku Zara Salim.

Others present were Perak Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Saarani Mohamad and his wife Datin Seri Aezer Zubin as well as Perak Education, Higher Education, Youth and Sports Committee chairman Khairudin Abu Hanipah.

Izzat Shameer helped the national lawn bowling squad by bringing home four gold medals at the 16th Asian Lawn Bowls Championship and the 14th Asian Under-25 (B-25) Lawn Bowling Championship in Clark, Philippines in April.

Li Jane ended the 2024 campaign in style when she became the first Asian bowler to be named Player of the Year on the Professional Women's Bowling Association (PWBA) Tour of the United States (US).

She earned the award after winning four titles, namely the US Women's Open, Tour Championship, Journal Rockford Open and Greater Nashville Classic.

Both athletes took home medals and a cash incentive of RM7,000.

Beach volleyball athlete Low Jeng Yih and swimmer Joelle Chang Zu-Ee were also named Promising Sportsman of the Year and Promising Sportswoman of the Year respectively, while two cyclists Mohamad Yusof Hafizi Shaharuddin and Nur Suraya Muhammad Zamri were named the Best Male and Best Female Athletes.

Also receiving awards were cycling coach Hishamuddin Mohd Zaki in the Coach category, Datuk Seri Puhat Mat Nayan (Sports Leadership), Mohd Jamil Zakaria (Memorable Service), Mohamad Ayob Kamarudin (Sports Family), Razif Rosli and Mohd Fitri Azman in the media category, Perak Bison (best team) while the Perak State Golf Association received the Sports Association Special Award.

This time, the Perak ASN offers 13 nomination categories including the Sportsman, Sportswoman, Sportsman of Hope, Sportswoman of Hope, Best Team, Best Coach, Sports Leadership, Sportsman of Hope, Sports Family, Media, Best Male Athlete and Best Female Athlete.

For the first time, a new category has been introduced, namely the State Sports Association Special Award to recognise excellence in the leadership and management of the association which is an important pillar in the development of state sports.

Meanwhile, Saarani in his speech said the Perak State Sports Council (MSN) had pioneered several important initiatives, including the Perak Podium Programme (P3) which was introduced in 2017, the Atlet Kita Juara Programme which nurtures the potential of the country's natives as well as various grassroots development efforts.

He also said a total of 202 potential athletes were currently under the auspices of the Perak Podium Programme in preparation for higher-level tournaments.

The Perak MSN, he added, continued to emphasise the welfare and personality development aspects of athletes to continue to maintain the state's sports image holistically.

-- BERNAMA