Athletes: SAA mulls head coach options

Athletes: SAA mulls head coach options

SINGAPORE - Former national sprinter Asmah Hanim was on Wednesday named the Singapore Athletic Association's (SAA) sports development and performance chief.

The 30-year-old was the youngest of seven candidates, with five of them understood to be foreigners in their 50s.

Asmah takes up the post which veteran track and field coach Loh Chan Pew vacated in January.

She will officially start work on April 21 and will be charged with enhancing the development and high performance support for athletes and coaches.

Asmah does not hold a coaching certificate from the world athletics body, International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF), but has a Masters' degree in Exercise and Sports Science (Sports Performance).

She received a diploma after attending an International Coaching Course organised by Hungary's Semmelweis University, in cooperation with the International Olympic Committee, in 2011.

FAITH IN ASMAH

Before accepting the role with the SAA, she was a sports science research specialist at Raffles Institution.

SAA president Tang Weng Fei has placed his faith in her and suggested she will have a key role in deciding whether they decide to appoint a national track and field head coach.

Speaking to The New Paper from Melbourne, where he is on holiday with his family, Tang said: "The national coach was my idea.

"In the interviews we had, she (Asmah) debated the necessity of having one, listing the pros and the cons.

"It's not fair for me to choose without her, as the new national coach will report to her.

"So I handed her all the applications for the national coach position.

"Maybe, at the end of the day, she will agree with me. But she will recommend if she thinks we should have one, two or none."

Asmah declined to share her stand on the national head coach issue.

When contacted on Wednesday night, she said: "For this matter, I will get feedback from the athletes and coaches first... they are the stakeholders who will be affected by any appointment.

"At this moment, it's just my own opinion and I am only one person."

Asmah, who used to compete in the 4x100m relay and 400m events and narrowly missed the cut for a spot in the 4x400m relay team at last December's South-east Asia Games, is excited over her new role.

She said: "I do not see my age as a disadvantage as age brings new perspectives. Perspectives create change.

"This, coupled with passion and sincere intention to improve the sport, will be her key motivational factors to work towards raising the standard of the sport."

Asmah's bullishness has impressed Tang.

The track and field chief tried to sign her up in his first stint as SAA president, between June 2010 and June 2012, but she took up another offer.

"I've got every confidence in her," he said.

"Even as president, if I say something which she disagrees with, she will argue - in a good way, of course. That's what we want.

"And I think it's time we got some new blood in the system."

msazali@sph.com.sg


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