Nicol Crowned 2007 National Sportswoman

May 14, 2008

For the full version: http://www.bernama.com.my/bernama/v3/news_sports.php?id=332836

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Kien Keat-Boon Heong, Nicol Crowned 2007 Sportsman And Sportswoman

KUALA LUMPUR, May 13 (Bernama) -- Shuttlers Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong and squash player Nicol David were crowned Sportsman and Sportswoman of 2007 in a glittering National Sports Awards ceremony here Tuesday night.

Nicol, the undisputed queen of Malaysian squash and the darling of world squash, swept the award for the third consecutive year and fifth overall to cap a superb week as she had also clinched the British Open in Liverpool on Tuesday morning, her third after 2005 and 2006.

The petite Penang lass, simply known as "Pocket Dynamite" who enjoyed the best year of her career in 2007, winning eight WISPA World Tour titles from ten final appearances despite the World Open eluding her grasp, also beat 12 other nominees for the award.

The 24-year-old who was voted Asian Sportswoman of 2007 by the Asian Sports Press Union by beating about 100 other illustrious names in Asia, has also won the WISPA Player of the Year for three years in a row starting 2005.

Last year, she won the CIMB KL Open, Kuwait Open, Qatar Classic, Qatar Open, Malaysian Open, Singapore Masters, Dutch Open, Hong Kong Open and capped a brilliant year by capturing her sixth consecutive Asian Championship though she failed to defend her World Open title for the third year in a row.

Nicol was also not at the ceremony to receive her award as she is still in England.

Nicol's father, Desmond David received the award on behalf of her daughter while BAM Vice President Datuk Roland Wong received on behalf of Koo Ken Keat-Tan Boon Heong.

Nicol said by telephone from England that she was sorry that she could not attend but thanked the National Sports Council for awarding her the award while Ken Keat-Boon Heong who spoke over the phone from Jakarta said they felt sad and sorry that they could not be present at the ceremony to receive their awards.