Official Website of Brunei Darussalam National Olympic Council
NEWS & EVENTS
HRH calls for more mental toughness from athletes
Sunday, November 6, 2011

HRH Prince Haji Sufri Bolkiah, President of the Brunei Darussalam National Olympic Council (BDNOC), delivers his `sabda' during the national flag handing over ceremony to Brunei Darussalam contingent for the 26th SEA Games 2011 at Hassanal Bolkiah Indoor Stadium Berakas yesterday. Picture: BT/Yusri Adanan

His Royal Highness Prince Hj Sufri Bolkiah, the President of the Brunei Darussalam National Olympic Council (BDNOC), called on the national athletes to have more self confidence when they compete in the 26th Southeast Asian games in Indonesia next week.

"We have found that the national athletes lose because of nervousness before competition," said HRH during the flag handing ceremony yesterday at the Indoor Stadium of the Hassanal Bolkiah National Sports Complex in Berakas.

"That is the problem that we will need to rectify because the skills and preparations would be meaningless if the mental strength is weak," added HRH, who was accompanied by his son Yang Amat Mulia Pengiran Muda 'Abdul 'Aleem at the ceremony.

"This weakness is the main problem that the Game Plan or strategy doesn't work. With the sports psychologist, I believe that we can overcome this," continued the president who handed over the Brunei flag to the chef de mission of the national contingent, Hj Abdul Malik Hj Mohammad.

The sport psychologist Singaporean Zulkiflee Abdul Hamid was hired earlier this year to help work on strengthening the athletes' mental toughness.

The Sultanate will be represented by 60 athletes at the Nov 11-22 tournament competing in 11 sports: 10-pin bowling, cue sports, fencing, football, karatedo, kempo, pencak silat, petanque, sepak takraw, taekwondo and wushu.

The duo of Ahmad Taufiq Murni and Ak Md Saiful Azri Pg Roslee will compete in both the 8-ball and 9-ball events at the biennial competition.

For Karatedo, four men Muhammad Fadilah Sanif (men's under 60kg), Muhammad Fida'iy Sanif (men's under 55kg), Mainuddin Hj Mohamad (men's under 67kg) and Mohammad Jamli Hj Abd Hamid/Ahmad Badri (men's under 75kg) will be flying the flag for the country whereby each of them will be competing in a kumite event.

The members of the pencak silat team for the tanding events are Amirul Ahat (Class A, 45-50kg), Pg Khairul Bahri Pg Ali Umar (Class F, 70-75kg), Freddy Ashrul Choo (Class H, 80-85kg).

Hj Md Khairul Bahrin Hj Duraman, who won the only gold medal for the country in previous editions, will once again compete in the men's seni tunggal.

The trio of Abdul Malik Hj Ladi, Juffri Junaidi and Abd Rahman Hj Asli will take part in the men's Regu while Norleyermah Hj Raya will compete in the women's seni tunggal, where she won a silver medal in Thailand in 2007.

Norleyermah will then team up with Nurul Aimi Amalina Zainidi and sister Norleyharyanti in the women's Regu.

The biggest loss for the team would be that Khuzaiman Ahmad who will not be on the plane to Indonesia due to injury.

Khuzaiman won gold and was named the 'Best Male Athlete' at the 14th World Pencak Silat Championships in December in Jakarta.

He also bagged a gold at the 2nd Southeast Asian Silat Championships in August last year in Vietnam.

Petanque will be making their debut at the Games with two athletes representing the country. Coached by Somsak Juychunprasert, Mazlan Hj Yahya will take part in the singles event while Mohamad Abdillah Taming will compete in the shooting event.

Also making their debut are the Shorinji Kempo team.

The duo of Muhammad Ali-Rashid Mohd Alipah and Dzulhusmie Hj Kahan will participate in both Embu and Randori (Men's Yundasa category).

Muhamad Shamsul Makmum will battle in Embu (Men's Kyu category) and Rafidah Hj Rosli in Embu (Women's Kyu category).

Two athletes will fly the Sultanate's flag in taekwando, Mohd Fathullah Mohd Taib (60kg Bantam) and Mohammad Saifullah Hj Mohtar (75kg Welter).

The duo of Faustina Woo Wai Sii and Lee Ying Shi, who won silver in the previous edition in Laos, will once again be competing in the duilian (double sword and spear) event.

Woo is also entered in nanquan (Southern Fist), nandao (Southern Cudgel) and nangun (Southern Staff).

Lee, meanwhile, will be competing in changquan (Long Fist), daoshu (Single-edged Swordplay).

Karyn Ho Chia Yin will compete in changquan, jianshu (Swordplay), qiangshu (Spear) and duilian.

For the Sepak Takraw squad, Mohammad Shukri Jaineh, Ismail Ang and Nur Alimin Sungoh, Abdul Amin Mahari and Marzuki Munap are listed for Regu, Team and Double events.

Bowling will be represented by the team of Mohd Shahwall Mustafa, Pg Eshamuddin Pg Hj mohiddin, Mohammad Haidir Fadzillah, Ahmad Athery Hj Abd Samad and Ak Mohammad Rudisofy Pg Hj Tejuddin.

They will all be participating in Single, Double Trios, All Events and Masters events.

Mohammad Yunos Hj Hamid will be leading the charge for the Fencing team.

Joining him are Ak Mohamad Shah Al'Musta'in Billah and Huzaimi Abd Kassim who will all see action in the Sabre events.

The other 20 athletes make up the national under-23 football squad that have already started their campaign in Jakarta.

Brunei won one gold, one silver and eight bronze medals during the 2009 SEA Games in Laos. Their best finish was in 1999, where the Sultanate pocketed four gold, 12 silver and 31 bronze medals when it hosted the tournament for the first time.

Courtesy from Brunei Times