KUALA LUMPUR – National hockey icon Datuk Mirnawan Nawawi has urged state hockey associations to capitalise on the Budget 2025 funds by organising more nationwide tournaments for under-17 players.
The 53-year-old, a triple Olympian (Barcelona 1992, Atlanta 1996, Sydney 2000), made the call following Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh’s announcement that a significant portion of the RM 230 million allocated in the national budget would be used to revitalise Malaysian hockey.
The minister highlighted ongoing partnerships between the Youth and Sports Ministry (KBS), the National Sports Council (NSC), and the Education Ministry (MoE) to strengthen hockey at the state level.
Mirnawan, a member of the Road to Gold committee, said that state associations should intensify their efforts by introducing more development programmes to ensure young talents progress to the senior team.
“It’s fantastic to see the minister placing more focus on hockey and the National Hockey Development Programme (NHDP) with this budget allocation. We need to understand that an elite team cannot thrive without development programmes or tournaments,” Mirnawan said.
“Without development, we won’t have a senior squad capable of posing a strong challenge against formidable teams in the future. The ministry’s push for grassroots development is timely and crucial for nurturing future talent.
“With a potential increase in the allocation for hockey, I would love to see more under-17 tournaments across states, along with more international exposure for state players.
“There should also be better support systems to elevate the standards of the game at the development level.”
Mirnawan made his remarks during the Mirnawan Cup final at the Bukit Jalil National Hockey Stadium yesterday.
He praised the performance of the Malaysia Tigers (under-17 boys’ team) for winning their first-ever Mirnawan Cup, which started in 2022.
The Mirnawan Cup, an international invitational for under-17 boys’ and girls’ teams, provides young players with valuable international experience. The tournament ran from November 3 to November 9.
In the boys’ final, the Malaysia Tigers, featuring players from the NHDP, defeated South Korea 3-2 to claim the title.
“Alhamdulillah, I’m delighted that the Malaysia Tigers have managed to become champions in the tournament’s third edition, and beating South Korea in the final is a huge positive.
“This tournament is rare, as there aren’t many consistent international invitational tournaments for youth players like this around the world.
“The efforts by the NSC, KBS, Malaysian Hockey Confederation, MoE, and the NHDP in organising this tournament have been exceptional. Exposure is essential for youngsters to progress, and this tournament provides the best exposure for our under-17 team,” Mirnawan added.
In the boys’ category, the Malaysia Speedy team also made up of NHDP players, secured third place with a 6-2 victory over Austria.
In the girls’ final, Japan clinched the title after defeating the Australian team, Queensland, 3-2. — November 10, 2024