Thursday, September 13, 2012

SPAIN BOUND PLAYERS INTEND TO DELIVER

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Two Malaysian players intend to give a good account in the World League Round One in Kuantan before leaving to play in the Spanish League next month.

The duo – Siti Noor Amarina Ruhaini and Fazilla Slyvester Silin have been signed up to play for Castelldefels HC in the league that gets underway at the end of September.

And the duo, both who are 25 year old, are looking forward to enhancing their knowledge of the sport in their maiden overseas attachment with a foreign club.

But getting Malaysia through to the second round of the World League is their main priority.

“I am looking forward towards my stint in Spain as I hope to gain experience and help Malaysia do well internationally,” said Amarina who made her national team debut at the Asia Cup in New Delhi in 2004.

“I feel honoured to be selected to play for the club and will do my level best. But right now I need to concentrate on helping Malaysia win this leg of the World Series.”

Amarina, who hails from Penang is currently pursuing a degree in Physical Education at Universiti Putra Malaysia. She has 93 caps to her credit and lists the win over South Africa in the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne as her best momment in hockey.

“I intend to carry on playing in the 2014 Glasgow Commonwealth Games and Incheon Asian Games at the very least,” added Amarina who credits her elder sister Siti Roshaida as the person who got her interested in hockey in the first place.

As for Fazilla who is a striker, scoring goals for Malaysia in the tournament is the task that she intends to accomplish to ensure a top finish for her team.

“Though I am expected to score goals, it is a team effort and the end result is what matters for me,” said Fazilla who hails from Mukah, Sarawak.

“Getting this opportunity to play in Spain is a dream come true for me. Besides gaining experience I intend to promote the country during my stint there.”

Fazilla made her debut in the 2007 SEA Games in Korat and it was in that tournament that she scored her first international goal.

Having played 62 internationals, Fazilla said that she will carry on playing as long as she can and hopes for a good outing in this tournament.

“It is not going to be easy as the other teams to are here with the same mission, to qualify for the next round,” said Fazilla who lists winning the Sukma gold medal for Sarawak in the 2006 Malaysia Games as her best hockey momment.

Initially two other players, Norazlin Sumantri and Raja Norsaharina Raja Shahbuddin were also earmarked to play in the Spanish League. But that did not materialise and Amarina and Fazilla are left to chart a new chapter for Malaysian women hockey in Spain.