Nixon leaves ‘office’ to try his luck on another track
By SHAMSHUL FITRI
Nixon Kennedy bagged two gold medals in the Asian Schools Track and Field Championships in the 100m and 4x100m events.
KUANTAN: A glance at Nixon Kennedy and you would probably recall the
once great sprinter Watson Nyambek, who holds the national 100m record
of 10.30 set in 1998.
Standing at 1.69m, the stout Nixon, who bagged two gold medals in the Asian Schools Track and Field Championships in the 100m and 4x100m events, looked set to replace Watson as one of Malaysia’s most successful track athletes.
But Nixon is an ambitious athlete. With his small build – and the deplorable state of athletics in Malaysia – he knows that an Olympic gold medal in athletics will remain a pipe dream for some time to come.
So, the 18-year-old prefers to switch to another sport in the chase for Olympic glory.
He will join the national track cycling team in Melbourne for training after making the grade in the talent transfer programme last December.
Born in Sarawak “like Watson”, Nixon was scouted to enrol in the Tabuan Jaya Sports School in Kuching after showing glimpses of his ability in primary school.
“After some podium finishes in several meets at primary school level, I was enrolled into the sports school and I took up football.,” said the 18-year-old Nixon.
“I only got into athletics after I finished my Form One studies. At that time, I ran in the 110m hurdles.”
The fourth child of six to Kennedy Anthony and Berambun Entigar, Nixon showed his credentials as a sprinter in Form Three, when he won the 110m and 200m hurdles event in the MSSM that year.
His good performances earned him a spot in the Bukit Jalil Sports School the following year – and he has been based there since.
“I don’t see much of a chance to make it big in the Olympics in athletics. I don’t have the right size to push on ... I’ve always been the smallest in class,” said Nixon.
“But in track cycling, you can see how Azizulhasni (Awang) did it. He is not big, but powerful.
“All I can say is that my venture into cycling is fuelled by my desire to compete and deliver a gold medal in the Olympics.”
The track cycling team could use some added firepower, especially in the team sprint.
Only Azizulhasni and Josiah Ng are seen as capable of clocking good times on the track to be competitive at world level. But they need a third man to make a team.
Mohd Edrus Yunos is not at par with Azizulhasni and Josiah. Although Rizal Tisin, who has resumed training after laying off for two years, can slot into the team, it would be useful to have a bigger pool of riders to choose from.
It is understood that Nixon will fly to Melbourne next month with Mohd Firdaus Mohd Zonis, the junior triple gold medallist at the Asian Championships this year in New Delhi.
“From what I’ve heard from the cycling coaches, I’m due to fly off to Melbourne next month with Firdaus. I’m comfortable starting again at zero because I want to reach the pinnacle of sport ... the Olympic,” he said.
Asked why he was named after the scandal-tainted 37th United States president Richard Nixon, he only chuckle.
“I don’t know why I was named after him ... although my father shares the name of another American president. He never told me about it,” laughed Nixon.
Standing at 1.69m, the stout Nixon, who bagged two gold medals in the Asian Schools Track and Field Championships in the 100m and 4x100m events, looked set to replace Watson as one of Malaysia’s most successful track athletes.
But Nixon is an ambitious athlete. With his small build – and the deplorable state of athletics in Malaysia – he knows that an Olympic gold medal in athletics will remain a pipe dream for some time to come.
So, the 18-year-old prefers to switch to another sport in the chase for Olympic glory.
He will join the national track cycling team in Melbourne for training after making the grade in the talent transfer programme last December.
Born in Sarawak “like Watson”, Nixon was scouted to enrol in the Tabuan Jaya Sports School in Kuching after showing glimpses of his ability in primary school.
“After some podium finishes in several meets at primary school level, I was enrolled into the sports school and I took up football.,” said the 18-year-old Nixon.
“I only got into athletics after I finished my Form One studies. At that time, I ran in the 110m hurdles.”
The fourth child of six to Kennedy Anthony and Berambun Entigar, Nixon showed his credentials as a sprinter in Form Three, when he won the 110m and 200m hurdles event in the MSSM that year.
His good performances earned him a spot in the Bukit Jalil Sports School the following year – and he has been based there since.
“I don’t see much of a chance to make it big in the Olympics in athletics. I don’t have the right size to push on ... I’ve always been the smallest in class,” said Nixon.
“But in track cycling, you can see how Azizulhasni (Awang) did it. He is not big, but powerful.
“All I can say is that my venture into cycling is fuelled by my desire to compete and deliver a gold medal in the Olympics.”
The track cycling team could use some added firepower, especially in the team sprint.
Only Azizulhasni and Josiah Ng are seen as capable of clocking good times on the track to be competitive at world level. But they need a third man to make a team.
Mohd Edrus Yunos is not at par with Azizulhasni and Josiah. Although Rizal Tisin, who has resumed training after laying off for two years, can slot into the team, it would be useful to have a bigger pool of riders to choose from.
It is understood that Nixon will fly to Melbourne next month with Mohd Firdaus Mohd Zonis, the junior triple gold medallist at the Asian Championships this year in New Delhi.
“From what I’ve heard from the cycling coaches, I’m due to fly off to Melbourne next month with Firdaus. I’m comfortable starting again at zero because I want to reach the pinnacle of sport ... the Olympic,” he said.
Asked why he was named after the scandal-tainted 37th United States president Richard Nixon, he only chuckle.
“I don’t know why I was named after him ... although my father shares the name of another American president. He never told me about it,” laughed Nixon.
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