Will motivate youth, promote gender equality, says HRH

Maziah's Olympic debut

HIS Royal Highness Prince Hj Sufri Bolkiah, the president of the Brunei Darussalam National Olympic Council (BNOC), hopes that Maziah Mahusin's participation at the London Olympics will generate more interest among young athletes.

It was revealed the day before that the national runner is set to run her way into the history books by being the first Bruneian female to participate at the world's largest sporting event.

The announcement made on Olympic Day celebrated on June 23 to mark the revival of modern Olympics in Paris in 1894 could not have come at a better time.

At the Tutong Sports Complex to celebrate Olympic Day, HRH told The Brunei Times in an interview, "We at BNOC are very happy and very proud (of this) because it is supported by the ministry. This is also part of the Olympic charter and also (to promote) gender equality. We have to do it."

"I hope that Maziah can show her talent. I know it is a high point because there will be so many people and such a big crowd but I hope that she will focus to put on a show in London," added the prince.

"It can also show that Brunei is able to send more athletes in the future," continued HRH.

Aknowledging the high standards of the competition, the BNOC President is not expecting too much at the Olympics.

"To get something at the Olympics is not easy. Of course, all athletes want to win a medal but we are going on unqualified quota, so we don't expect anything," said HRH.

"But we want to advise her to concentrate and keep on training to show the people in the Olympics," added HRH, who is also the honorary president of the National Football Association of Brunei Darussalam (NFABD).

Maziah's track and field teammate Ak Hafiy Tajuddin Pg Rositi will also feature at the Games, slated to be held on July 27 to August 12. Their participation is made possible courtesy of universality places that the world governing body for athletics has opened to countries that have no qualified athletes.

The world governing body for swimming has also done the same but national swimmer Anderson Lim Chee Wei's participation is currently still pending.

"We are still awaiting the answer from FINA.

"We did send the form to FINA which was endorsed by BNOC and BASA (to send Anderson).

"Now we have to wait until the other side to say okay," said HRH.

Maziah and Lim were recipients of the London 2012 Olympic Scholarships.

Names of all three athletes were submitted to the London Olympic Games Organising Committee (LOGOC). The Brunei Times