Maziah Mahusin (R), 17, will be competing in the 400m hurdles event and is the Sultanate's
sole representative in athletics. She placed seventh in a field of eight contestants in the
women's 400m hurdles during last month's Malaysia Games (SUKMA) held in Melaka. Picture: Infofoto
The Brunei Darussalam National Olympic Council (BDNOC) has confirmed that the Sultanate will be participating in next month's Youth Olympic Games to be held in Singapore.
Brunei had been warned by the International Olympic Council (OIC) that it might face suspension and miss out on the 2013 London Olympics if it fails to register athletes by Thursday (July 15).
Racing against time to meet the deadline for the August 14-26 meet in Singapore, the BDNOC told The Brunei Times that it had submitted the names of three athletes last Thursday and they have been confirmed.
"BDNOC wishes to inform that it has received final approval from the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports of Brunei Darussalam for the three athletes, who have been registered with the Youth Olympic Games (YOG) organising committee last week, to participate in the forthcoming YOG in Singapore" said the council in a press statement yesterday.
The three athletes will see one take part in athletics while the other two in aquatics.
Coming as no surprise, the 16-year-old Amanda Liew Jia Xin is set to make another splash in the international scene. She'll be taking part in the 50m breaststroke and 50m freestyle events.
Liew managed to finished with 14 gold medals in the individual events and two silver for team events in this year's edition of the National Sports Festival (PSK).
Joining her in aquatics is Jeremy Joint Riong, 17, who will swim in the 50m and 100m Butterfly events.
Maziah Mahusin, 17, will be the sole representative to fly the flag in athletics by taking part in the 400m hurdles event.
Meanwhile, Brunei faced international criticism recently because it is one of only three countries with - Qatar and Saudi Area - that have never sent female athletes to represent the country at the Olympics.
Datin Hjh Adina Othman, the Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports, responded by saying that women would be selected for London 2012 if they reached the qualifying standards.
The BDNOC also clarified that sending two female athletes to the YOG was not in response to what had been said.
"As always been in the past, the BDNOC welcome the participation of all potential athletes, regardless of their gender, consistent with the Olympic Spirit," said the council in the press release.
"Prior to this, female athletes were indeed part of Brunei Darussalam's contingent to various regional and international sport events," it added.
Therefore, the BDNOC endorsement of the above-mentioned two female athletes for YOG is not in response to what has been said about the non-participation of female athletes from this country. But rather, a routine process, that the BDNOC has never failed to do," it concluded.
Courtesy from Brunei Times
