Olympic Day 2 : Archery - Archers set sight on Olympics medal, in confident mood

Tham Choy Lin, BERNAMA

Malaysia’s world-ranked archery trio was back at training after securing a spot in the Olympics quarterfinals as a sense of confidence bubbles in camp after yesterday’s ranking contest.

“Everything is going according to plan. We have avoided the Koreans in the draw. The mood in camp is very good and they are confident,” said team manager Tan Sri Abdul Halil Mutalif.

Cheng Chu Sian, Muhd Marbawi Sulaiman and Wan Khalmizam Abdul Aziz set a new national mark of 1,993 in finishing third best in the ranking contest to earn a first-round bye for tomorrow’s team medal battle.

They shattered their own previous national best of 1,980 set last year. Wan Khalmizam also rewrote his national individual record to a new high of 674, two better than the previous total.

If they make the rostrum, they would enter the annals of Malaysian sports history because until now, only badminton has earned Malaysia glory in the Olympics with one silver and two bronze medals. South Korea, gold medallist at the previous two Olympics, are the fancied favourites.

They topped yesterday’s rankings over 72 arrows with Athens bronze medallist Ukraine in second place, just four points ahead of Malaysia.

The men’s team knockout battle is a day-long affair, culminating in the final in the evening. Losing semifinalists will vie for the bronze.

The number of arrows for the 12-country team competition is only 24, changed from 27 from the last Games in Athens. Each team member takes turns to shoot one arrow at a time.

Russia was the fourth team to secure a quarterfinal berth. Fighting for the remaining four slots in the last eight are Australia against Poland, Great Britain against China, Canada against Italy, and the United States against Taiwan.

The draw pits the Malaysians in the same half as the Ukranians and they will clash in the semifinals if they advance from the last eight.

In the quarterfinals, to begin shortly before noon, Malaysia will meet either Italy or Canada, whom they have not faced before.

“The archers are now used to top-level competition. They are prepared to take on any opponent,” said Abdul Halil.

South Korea are the world’s reigning record holder for the 24-arrow match with a score of 231. Two members of the record-breaking team — Lee Chang Hwan and Im Dong Hyun — are here.

The Olympics competition uses only the classic bow, otherwise known as the recurve bow with the limbs of the bow curved away from the archer.

Olympic Day 2 : Badminton - Women's pair fall to South Korean fourth seeds

Tham Choy Lin, BERNAMA

National top doubles pair Chin Ee Hui and Wong Pei Tty were shown the exit by South Korean fourth seeds Lee Hyojung and Lee Kyungwon in the pre-quarterfinals round of the Olympics today.

Despite putting up a brave fight, the Malaysians were beaten 21-14, 21-19 at the Beijing University of Technology gymnasium, the battling ground for the sport’s five gold medals.

Ee Hui and Pei Tty have never won over the Korean pair which had whipped them in straight games in their last previous meeting before the Olympics, at the Korean Open quarterfinals.

In the second game, the Malaysians tied at 10-10 and closed the gap from 13-18 to 18-18 before they succumbed.

The Olympics doubles competition are confined to 16 pairs only. Ee Hui and Pei Tty were the sole Malaysian challenge.

Olympic Day 1 : Triple eight delight as curtain goes up on Beijing Games

BEIJING: The 29th Olympic Games, costing an estimated US$40 billion (RM132 billion) and shrouded by political controversies, burst into life yesterday with a spectacular opening ceremony.

President Hu Jintao officially declared the Games open at the “Bird’s Nest” stadium in front of 90,000 spectators and a worldwide television audience of up to four billion.

The Olympic cauldron was lit by Li Ning, the Chinese gymnast who captured three gold medals at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics.

The opening ceremony, directed by Oscar-nominated filmmaker Zhang Yimou, saw 5,000 competitors from 204 nations parade in a lavish event, lit up by 35,000 fireworks.

Many heads of state were attending the opening ceremony.

They included US President George W. Bush and Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, French President Nicolas Sarkozy, Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda and South Korean President Lee Myung-Bak.

The extravaganza, cramming 5,000 years of history into just one evening, avoided many of the cliched images of China — no pandas, no red lanterns and no dragon dances.

China was taking no astrological chances — opening the Games at the auspicious moment of eight o’clock on the eighth day of the eighth month of 2008. It paid dividends. The rain held off. The world’s greatest show is on.

Sejarah kecemerlangan Malaysia di Olimpik

MELBOURNE 1956
Pasukan hoki pertama kali menyertai sukan Olimpik serta atlet olahraga, renang, angkat berat dan menembak. Pasukan hoki negara beraksi cemerlang pada peringkat kelayakan, tewas sekali tetapi hanya menamatkan kejohanan di tempat kesembilan dari 12 pasukan.

TOKYO 1964
Datuk Dr. M. Jegathesan (gambar) menjadi atlet Malaysia yang pertama layak ke pusingan separuh akhir acara 200 meter. Dalam saringan kelima di pusingan pertama, dia mencatat masa 20.92 saat dan masih merupakan rekod Malaysia sehingga kini.

MUNICH 1972
Buat pertama kali dalam sejarah pasukan bola sepak Malaysia yang dibarisi oleh M. Chandran, Soh Chin Aun, Wong Kam Fook, Shaharuddin Abdullah, Wong Choon Wah, Namat Abdullah, Lim Fung Kee, Ali Bakar, pasukan bola sepak kebangsaan layak ke Sukan Olimpik buat kali kedua di Moscow 1980, tetapi tidak mengambil bahagian kerana Malaysia memulau sukan tersebut.

BARCELONA 1992
Adik-beradik Sidek, Razif dan Jalani mencipta sejarah menjadi pemenang pingat Olimpik pertama selepas memenangi pingat gangsa.

ATLANTA 1996
Cheah Soon Kit-Yap Kim Hock memastikan pingat gangsa untuk negara selepas mara ke perlawanan separuh akhir acara badminton.

SYDNEY 2000
Lee Wan Yuen menjadi atlet taekwondo pertama negara layak di sukan Olimpik apabila ia pertama kali diperkenalkan di Sydney tetapi tewas kepada atlet Perancis, Myriam Baverel 4-8 di pusingan pertama kategori 67 kilogram wanita.

ATHENS 2004
Lim Keng Liat menjadi perenang pertama negara mara ke peringkat separuh akhir dengan mencatat masa kelapan terpantas 55.22 saat dalam acara kuak lentang lelaki. Pelumba basikal acara trek Josiah Ng turut layak ke akhir tetapi menduduki tempat kelima.

Kinabalu Park

The Kinabalu Park covers an area of 754 sq km and is made up of Mount Kinabalu, Mount Tambayukon and the foothills. It was gazetted to preserve this valuable natural environment. The mountains have a fascinating geological history, taking 'just' a million years to form. The mighty Mount Kinabalu is actually a granite massif that was later thrust upwards through the crust of the surface.

Subsequent erosion removed thousands of feet of the overlying sand and mud stone, exposing this massif. During the Ice Age, glaciers running across the summit smoothed it out, but the jagged peaks that stood out above the ice surface remained unaffected, retaining the extremely ragged surfaces. This rugged mountain is the focal point of the National Park.

For more information : http://travel.tourism.gov.my/

Pulau Perhentian

Located at the north-eastern coast of Peninsular Malaysia. About 21 km off shores the remote town of Kuala Besut. There are two lovely unspoiled island lie amidst exquisitely clear waters. Pulau Perhentian Kecil (Small Perhentian) and Perhentian Besar (Big Perhentian) comprise the Perhentian Island, aptly named after "henti"(stop) as fishermen from mainland Kelantan and Terengganu have, for centuries, stopped over at the island for a rest or to shelter during a major storm. A rocky virgin jungle provides hour of adventures for trekkers who may chance upon flying fox, long-tailed macaques and monitor lizards, while the underneath marine life shows off a splendid garden of coral.

For more information : http://www.pulauperhentian.com.my/

Taman Negara Pahang

Taman Negara National park spread out over 4343 sq. km of the formidable Titiwangsa Mountain Range ,one of the world’s oldest tropical rainforest. A sanctuary to hundreds of species of birds, butterflies, insects, fish and plants. Home to Malaysia’s friendly aborigines, the Orang Asli. A shy yet gentle race, they continue to live the nomadic way they’ve lived for centuries although fully aware of the country’s fastest-paced progress.

Come discover the living treasure Mother Nature has to offer. Whether it’s shooting thrilling rapids, exploring spectacular caves, tackling a 20-pound fish, scaling up Peninsular Malaysia’s highest mountain, trekking through dense, tricky forest pathways or swimming in crystal clear pools, Malaysia’s National Park is a nature paradise you must experience. An adventure of a lifetime awaits you.

To experience the full glory of the tropical rainforest there is perhaps no better place on earth than Taman Negara (National Park). Legally declared an area for conservation in 1938, the 135 million year old Taman Negara is a haven for the nation’s flora and fauna.

Jungle tracks, campsites and the Taman Negara Resort have all being constructed to blend with the natural surroundings, to be in harmony with the forest. Many structured have been built strictly for the observation and appreciation of the grandeur of the towering forest and its inhabitants.

Having enjoyed protection for almost 60 years a wealth of undisturbed habitats exists for the intrepid explorers to discover. You can take day or night time jungle walks or stay in a hide and maybe catch a glimpse of some of the 250 or so species of fauna that exists within the parks boundaries, from hornbills, pheasants and kingfishers monkeys, gibbons, wildboar, deer, tapir, and maybe even an elephant or tiger. Six observation points have seen set up specifically overlooking salt licks and grassy clearings for the observation of wild, often shy animals. These hides allow the visitor to spend a night away from the resort to observe the nocturnal activities of the animals of the forest. Activities within the Park are primarily nature based, taking full advantage of the many streams, rivers, caves hills and the forest itself. Enjoy a bracing swim in cool waters, a full day’s trek, a boat ride and even a spot of angling should you so desire.

A visit to Taman Negara, however, is not complete until you have done the canopy walk. The world’s longest such walk, it winds over 400 meters in the forest canopy allowing you to view the rich and diverse flora and fauna at the very summit of the forest, 25 meters above the ground.

Orang Asli guides can be engaged for excursions to specific areas in the Park, such as the various caves. A visit to the orang Asli settlement is also worthwhile here.

Accommodation in the Park is at the jungle lodge, chalets and a hostel, all with basic facilities. Superior rooms at Taman Negara Resort are air-conditioned and have private bathrooms.

Campsites and camping equipment are available for hire and restaurants in the Park serve an international cuisine.

More information please visit : http://www.tahan.com.my/tamannegara/tamannegara.asp