KUALA LUMPUR – Still reeling from the disappointment of the FIH Men’s Junior World Cup (JWC), the national junior hockey players find themselves thrust into a heavier role.
Shouldering a burden equivalent to that of their senior counterparts, these young athletes now bear the responsibility of contributing to Malaysia’s elusive Olympic qualification.
A select group of eight players, under the discerning eye of head coach Arul Selvaraj, are currently part of the national training camp preparing for the Olympic qualifiers in Oman slated for January.
These rising stars are eager to prove their mettle and secure positions in the final line-up of the Speedy Tigers’ squad.
Speaking to Scoop, Shafiq Ikhmal Daniel, who played as an attacker at the JWC, said he is hoping to absorb as much knowledge as possible during the training camp.
The 21-year-old aims to refine his skills and become a potent force on the turf, particularly with his finishing abilities.
“I’m grateful to coach Arul for selecting me for this camp. At just 21 years old, there’s a lot I can learn from the senior attackers.
“I have been learning a lot under coach Arul and I like the way he emphasises quickness in my game.
“My speed has improved and I have been learning to navigate the ball into the penalty box and score as many as I can.
“The entire squad is highly competitive, but I’ll ensure to earn my spot in the final squad for the qualifiers by showcasing my abilities during training,” said Shafiq, who made five appearances at the JWC and scored a goal.
In a heartfelt commitment to honour his parents, Jeffrynus Jupil and Nancy Mogong, defender Andywalfian Jeffrynus is on a mission to secure a place in the final roster for the Olympic qualifiers.
The 18-year-old player hailing from Keningau, Sabah, has scored two goals in 28 appearances for the Young Tigers since his debut at last year’s Sultan of Johor Cup.
While basking in the pride of his village for his hockey achievements, Andywalfian remains steadfast in his pursuit of making his parents, his ultimate supporters, even prouder.
“My parents were always supportive of my passion since day one and they even came to Kuala Lumpur to watch me play at the JWC.
“To earn playing time among this pool of competitive players is going to be challenging for me. But I’m not here for a holiday – I won’t give up on my dreams.
“I will work hard to improve my flaws, especially my ball stopping, which is the weak point of my game,” said Jeffrynus, who studies at the Sabah Sports School in Kota Kinabalu.
Amid preparations, Mughni Mohamad Kamal also expressed excitement to hone his penalty corner skills under the guidance of the senior coaching team.
The 21-year-old attacking midfielder hopes his expertise as the “fox in the box”, will leave a lasting impression on Arul and earn him a spot in the qualifiers.
“Being part of the training camp is a big honour and achievement. I excel in the penalty box and with my first runs.
“I believe I can leverage this in my game, but my main goal now is to impress coach Arul in training sessions.
“I need to be calmer with my finishing and basics and with coach Christopher Ciriello’s guidance, I aim to improve my attacking and defending duties in penalty corners, which are my weak points,” said Kamal.
Australian Ciriello was brought on board by the Malaysian Hockey Confederation (MHC) in March to sharpen the national men’s and women’s penalty corner strategies.
For the record, 18 players represented the Young Tigers at the JWC held at the National Hockey Stadium from December 5 to 16.
Under the guidance of Amin Rahim, the Young Tigers set out to reach the quarter-finals but concluded their campaign in 12th position with only two wins out of six games, marking their worst finish as tournament hosts since 2009.
With anticipation building, Arul is expected to unveil the final roster by January 2 for the Olympic qualifiers scheduled in Oman from January 13 to 21.
Malaysia, absent from the Olympics since Sydney in 2000, is striving to secure a spot after missing a direct qualification at the Asian Games.
Pooled with Great Britain, Pakistan, and China in Pool A, Arul’s Speedy Tigers currently hold the 12th position in the world rankings with 1,881.87 points. – December 27, 2023