KUALA LUMPUR – After its junior team failed to reach the quarterfinals of the ongoing FIH Men’s Junior World Cup, the Malaysia Hockey Confederation (MHC) is now hoping that its five-series hockey team will reach the quarterfinals of the FIH Men’s Hockey5s World Cup.
The tournament is scheduled to take place in Oman next year from January 28 to 31, involving 16 teams hailing from five continents.
MHC president Datuk Seri Subahan Kamal said that their five-series team has the potential to be one of the best teams in the world.
“We are already the best team in the Southeast Asian region and one of the best teams globally when it comes to field hockey, and we are now aiming to place our five-series team in the same category.
“I can see a lot of potential in the team, and most of them even can play for the national team, as they are very versatile in their gameplay.
“They have done a brilliant job securing their spot in the World Cup on merit, which is not an easy task. I’m hoping the team will give their best and aim to fight for a quarterfinal finish.
“The World Cup will be a great exposure for the team. When they return from Oman, we will also train this young team to play in the 2025 Southeast Asian Games (SEA).
“And there’s a high possibility for us to win a medal with the five-series hockey team, as talks are ongoing with FIH to include the five-series tournament in the games,” Subahan said during a press conference at the National Hockey Stadium today.
Meanwhile, MHC has received sponsorship support amounting to RM100,000 from Young Tiger Sport Sdn Bhd to be the official kit sponsor for the five-series hockey team during their World Cup campaign in Oman.
Subahan said that he was pleased that the governing body was able to establish cooperation with corporations that are helping them overcome their financial woes.
He also said that the partnership with Young Tiger Sport opens up a variety of choices for hockey fans to purchase jerseys at an affordable price.
“As you know, Adidas is the main sponsor for our national jerseys, and we have received some complaints from fans that it’s too expensive for them to purchase the jerseys.
“The jerseys by Young Tiger Sport are going to be even more affordable compared to our main jerseys, and the fans will enjoy the quality of the jersey.
“The jerseys have also been approved by FIH, and our players are going to have a great time wearing them during the World Cup,” Subahan added.
Young Tiger Sport is a sports clothing manufacturer based in Jerteh, Terengganu, that is no stranger to sponsoring clothing for the Terengganu Hockey Team (THT) as well as several other sports in Terengganu.
Malaysia qualified for the FIH Men’s Hockey5s World Cup by finishing fourth out of 11 teams with 13 points in the Men’s Asian Hockey5s World Cup qualifiers held in Oman last August.
Malaysia is grouped with Oman, the United States, and Fiji in Group D. – December 16,2023