26/02/2026

SPORTS THURSDAY | FEB 26, 2026

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Forging mental strength N ATIONAL alpine skier Aruwin Salehhuddin may have just carved her name as one of Asia’s top performers at the recently-concluded Milano Cortina Tofane Alpine Skiing Centre with a total time of one minute 54.82 seconds (s). Aruwin eyes higher peaks after Milano 2026

RESULTS & STANDINGS

NEGERI SEMBILAN FC (NSFC) interim head coach K. Rajan will remain in charge until the end of the current Super League season, said NSFC chairman Datuk Seri Aminuddin Harun. The Negeri Sembilan Menteri Besar said there is no urgent need at present to appoint a new head coach, with full focus instead placed on the team’s performance in every match through to May. He said the existing coaching line-up is still capable of managing the team during this period, allowing the management to comprehensively assess the squad’s overall situation. “Many have submitted lists of candidates, including four to five existing coaches. However, give us a little more time to evaluate performances over the next two or three matches before we make a decision,” NATIONAL waterski queen Aaliyah Yoong Hanifah has been given the green light to compete in four international champion ships this year as preparation for the 2027 SEA Games in Kuala Lumpur and the 2027 World Championships in Australia. Malaysian Waterski and Wakeboard Federation (MWWF) executive officer Norzeela Sulaiman said the approval was granted by the National Sports Council (MSN) after the federation submitted an application through the 2026 Working Committee Meeting (JKK) held yesterday. Norzeela said among the tournaments lined up is one in the United States, with the slot allocated to Aaliyah as part of efforts to improve the 22-year-old athlete’s world ranking. “Of the four championships, one will be in the United States, and we will also involve other national squad members for an event in Putrajaya. We are also targeting five gold medals at the SEA Games in Malaysia,” she said. Meanwhile, Norzeela said the national waterski squad will take part in several training camps in Putrajaya under the supervision of an experienced coach from Chile. “And one international event where we will invite all Southeast Asian countries to take part, which will be in July, God willing,” she said. – Bernama ENGLISH CHAMPIONSHIP: Hull City 4 Derby County 2, Middlesbrough 1 Leicester City 1, Swansea City 1 Preston North End 1, Watford 0 Ipswich Town 2, West Bromwich Albion 1 Charlton Athletic 1, Wrexham 2 Portsmouth 1, Blackburn Rovers 1 Bristol City 2, South ampton 5 Queens Park Rangers 0. TOP 10 P W D L F A Pts Coventry 33 19 8 6 68 36 65 Mid’boro 34 18 9 7 51 34 63 Ipswich 32 16 9 7 56 34 57 Hull 33 17 6 10 55 48 57 Millwall 33 16 8 9 42 40 56 Wrexham 34 14 12 8 53 45 54 Southampton 34 13 11 10 54 45 50 Bristol City 34 14 8 12 47 42 50 Birmingham 33 13 10 10 45 40 49 Preston 34 12 13 9 41 38 49 CHAMPIONS LEAGUE (knockout, 2nd leg) : Atletico Madrid 4 (Sorloth 23, 76, 87, Cardoso 48) Club Brugge 1 (Ordonez 36) – Atletico Madrid win 7-4 on aggregate , Bayer Leverkusen 0 Olympiacos 0 – Bayer Leverkusen win 2-0 on agg , Inter Milan 1 (Bastoni 76) Bodo/Glimt 2 (Hauge 58, Evjen 72) – Bodo/Glimt win 5-2 on agg , Newcastle 3 (Tonali 4, Joelinton 6, Botman 52) Qarabag 2 (Duran 50, Jafargu liyev 57) – Newcastle win 9-3 on agg . Aaliyah plots 2027 glory

second run was honestly a relief, and I was happy I was able to secure 44th for Malaysia (slalom),” she said. Not only did it strengthen her mental abilities, Aruwin is also eyeing more technical manoeuvres to handle the increasingly complex courses in the future. She also embraced the thrill of competing at the Tofane Alpine Skiing Centre, describing the venue as a dream despite the deteriorating snow condi tions that tested her endurance. “Tofane was a fun slope to ski for the slalom, even though the snow conditions were certainly a bit tougher for the second run. “I think the slope was an absolute dream to ski for the giant slalom, even though I only made it halfway down and I would’ve loved to ski more of it,” she said. The venue, which previously hosted the alpine skiing events at the 1956 Winter Olympics, is con sidered one of the most iconic ski runs in the world, stretching 2,560 metres (m) with a vertical drop of 750m, making it both majestic and legendary. The Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games, which kicked off Feb 6, officially drew its curtain on Feb 22. – Bernama

2026 Winter Olympic Games in Italy, but she knows that reaching the absolute summit requires more than just fast skis. The 22-year-old believes that to truly master the slopes in future outings, including the French Alps 2030 edition in France, it demands an unbreakable mindset. “I definitely need to work more on my mental strength. I felt that it had definitely

Her performance showed significant progres sion as she finished the first run in 54th place with 55.09s and moved up 10th spot in the second run (59.73s). The result marks a redemption for Malaysia’s sole representative in Italy and managed to improve upon her 2022 Beijing debut, where she unfortunately failed to complete the same event. Not only that, the result put Aruwin as the sec ond-best Asian skier in the event behind Piera Hudson of the United Arab Emirates with 1:49.67s in 39th place. Aruwin previously endured a challenging out ing as she failed to complete the women’s giant sla lom at the same venue, her first event at the 2026 edition. She was also relieved to successfully bury the ghosts of her 2022 Beijing debut. “I had a few close calls and mistakes in both runs, and I’m proud that I was able to hang on and fight to the finish. Of course, I would have loved to ski cleaner, faster runs. “I remember being quite disappointed with my skiing after the first run, but making it down the

improved before the giant sla lom, but I needed to bring that confidence over to slalom, and it wasn’t exactly how I wanted it to be,” she told Bernama . Aruwin finished 44th in the women’s sla lom event at the

National alpine skier Aruwin Salehhuddin in action. – REUTERSPIC

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Young sprinter weighs MSN offer NATIONAL young sprinter Danish Iftikhar Muhammad Roslee is prepared to consider join ing the National Sports Council (MSN) Podium Programme, provided the offer and conditions align with his current situation as a student. SEA Games in Malaysia. Malaysian Athletics (MA) secretary-general Nurhayati Karim explained that participation in the Podium Programme is automatically granted to athletes who win any medal at the SEA Games, regardless of colour.

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His father Muhammad Roslee Ismail, who is also his coach, said they are still awaiting the offi cial letter outlining the terms of the offer before making any decision. “If the benefits are good, I have no problem with him joining the programme. “But for me, education comes first. If you are educated, you can place yourself anywhere,” he said when contacted yesterday. Earlier, the Thailand SEA Games bronze medallist was listed among 21 athletes selected for the MSN Podium Programme in preparation for upcoming competitions, including the 2027 he told reporters after chairing the state executive council meeting at Wisma Negeri yesterday. He said this when commenting on the resignation of Mohd Nidzam Jamil as the team’s head coach, which took immediate effect on Monday. Meanwhile, Aminuddin said Under-20 head coach Norhafiz Zamani Misbah and three young players – Airiel Zafran Mohd Azrul, 20; Aqil Faris Shalahudin, 19; and Adam Haris Hamizon, 21 – will undergo a month-long training and trial stint with Japanese J3 League club Gainare Tottori at the end of this month. He said that during the period, the three players will be assessed by Gainare Tottori’s academy coaching staff before potentially being absorbed into training with the club’s senior squad.

Meanwhile, Muhammad Roslee said that besides education, priority would also be given to his son’s comfort and happiness while under going training under the Podium Programme. He noted that these aspects must be consid ered as they can have a significant impact on per formance on the track. “In any case, we will discuss everything – look at the contract and all related matters. “If the benefits are good for him and he feels it is suitable, I have no problem,” he said. – Bernama At the same time, Norhafiz Zamani Misbah will be placed within the club’s main team coaching structure to gain exposure to training methodology, team management and tactical approaches practised in Japan’s professional football system. Aminuddin said the initiative aims to develop quality local young players in preparation for this year’s Malaysia Games (Sukma), while also providing them with an opportunity to be evaluated for potential J League contracts should they meet the required standards. “This training and trial programme reflects NSFC’s serious commitment to building a sustainable and competitive youth development foundation. We cannot rely solely on short-term success, but must build a strong structure for the future,” he said. – Bernama

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