-->
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.
