Ahmad Amsyar, Sau Wah Are The Best

DIVER Ahmad Amsyar Azman and gymnast Chan Sau Wah bagged the 2007 Education Ministry-MSSM-Milo Best Sportsboy and Best Sportsgirl awards respectively in Putrajaya yesterday.

Ahmad Amsyar became only the second male diver after Bryan Nickson Lomas (2004) to win the Best Sportsboy honour since the inception of the awards in 1969.

The 16-year-old from Kangar, Perlis won gold in the 1m springboard and silver in the 3m springboard at the Asian Age Group Championships in Jakarta last year for his biggest achievement to date.

"I am very proud and honoured to have won this award which would not have been possible without the support of my parents Azman Hassan and Rozita Ibrahim and my coach Lan Wei (of China)," said the Bukit Jalil Sports School student.

Ahmad Amsyar, who won a trophy, medal and RM5,000, leaves for Kunming, China next week as preparation for the World Junior Diving Championships in Aachen, Germany on Sept 16-21.

Sau Wah, 17, who won gold in the uneven bars at the Korat Sea Games last December, hopes to use the award as motivation for the Asean Schools Gymnastics Championships on Oct 12-19 in Kuala Lumpur.

"I'm surprised to have won this award as it is my first of this kind. But I hope to use this to inspire to win my pet events - the uneven bars and balance beam at the Asean Schools Championships," said Selangor-born Sau Wah, who also took home a trophy, medal and RM5,000.

Beijing Olympic-bound swimmer Daniel Bego was honoured with the Gold award for exceptional athletic and academic performances, which came with a trophy, medal and RM3,000.

AWARDS - Best Sportsboy: Ahmad Amsyar Azman (diving); Best Sportsgirl: Chan Sau Wah (gymnastics)

Promising Talent (boy): Adam Aidil Iskandar Rosli (football); Promising Talent (girl): Erika Kong (swimming); Special award (non- Olympic sports - boy): Muhammad Fikri Abdul Razak (silat); Special award (non-Olympic sport-girl): Pang Tung Yee (wushu); Special award (disabled-boy): Mohamed Nasrullah Ramdhan (athletics); Special Award (disabled-girl): Nur Zubaina Zubir (athletics); Teacher's award (men): Mokhtar Baharudin Abdullah (hockey); Teacher's award (women): Nurul Hidayah Seah Abdullah (hockey); Leadership award: Ahmad Marican Othman; Gold award: Daniel Bego (swimming).