Eighteen-year-old Maziah
Mahusin is scheduled to train
in London in March, 2012, for
four months until the start of
the 2012 London Olympic Games.
The national athlete has said
that she is hopeful on the
possibility of representing Brunei
at the Olympics.Picture: BT file

Brunei hurdler to begin training in London in March

National hurdler Maziah Mahusin says that her ticket to representing Brunei at the London 2012 Olympics will depend on the performances she gives in training in London next year.

The 18-year-old told The Brunei Times that she remains hopeful on the possibility of competing on the grand stage next year.

"My target is to improve my performance during training. Hopefully, if all goes well, I can represent Brunei at the Olympics," she said at the Hassanal Bolkiah Track and Field Stadium in Berakas.

On the progress of the London 2012 Olympic Scholarship she received, Maziah said, "I'm still waiting for updates from the president as I have signed a contract and will be travelling to London in March, 2012, for four months until the 2012 London Olympic Games starts."

Asked how she felt on moving temporarily to London, the national athlete replied, "I am excited and nervous because there will be new coaches to work with, and the training regime will be highly intensive compared to Brunei, conducted by high level athletic coaches."

The other Olympic Scholar for the country, national swimmer Anderson Lim Chee Wei, is currently in San Francisco, US.

Lim is undergoing four months of intensive training with some of the best swimming coaches in the world.

Maziah is no stranger to international meets.

She has already competed four times in foreign territory in 2011 and is slated to run in the 2012 IAAF World Indoor Championships in Istanbul, Turkey in February.

Maziah then spoke of how excited she was upon receiving the London Olympics scholarship.

"I feel proud because I have been training hard for four years. I feel that the efforts that I have put into training has been worth it, as I am able to represent Brunei internationally, and also receive a sports scholarship," she said.

In the recent 2012 Borneo Games, Maziah won one gold and one silver for the athletics events, and she stated her satisfaction after winning the two medals.

"I feel proud to have won medals for Brunei."

She cemented her position as a role model for aspiring female athletes in Brunei by going down in the Sultanate's history as the first female athlete in the Sultanate to receive the London 2012 Olympic Scholarships.

With this in mind, she urged female athletes to step forward and train with the hopes of one day flying the flag for the country.

"I think there are alot of potential athletes in Brunei. It's always a case of them being afraid to commit to intensive training," said Maziah.

"But they should know that there are rewards, such as allowances, travelling to represent the country, and also a sports scholarship," she added.

Courtesy from Brunei Times