KUALA LUMPUR – Despite facing budget constraints, the Malaysian Hockey Confederation (MHC) remains steadfast in nurturing young talents through the second edition of the Mirnawan Cup.
Named after Malaysia’s triple Olympian, Datuk Mirnawan Nawawi, the tournament perseveres, albeit with a slight drop to 12 participating teams compared to the 15 teams that participated in the previous edition.
MHC president Datuk Seri Subahan Kamal said that the tournament’s legacy will endure, serving as a pivotal platform for emerging talents.
“In the face of challenges, our commitment to developing the next generation of hockey players remains unwavering.
“To ensure the sustainability of this tournament, we are exploring avenues for increased support, including partnerships with corporations and sports enthusiasts who share our vision for fostering sporting excellence.
“No challenges can stop us as we will continue our efforts in securing a bigger budget and hopefully invite more teams to participate in this tournament in the years to come,” Subahan said during a press conference at the National Hockey Stadium today.
Subahan also said that the second edition of the international invitational tournament, which focuses on the boys’ and girls’ Under-17 category, is also the best platform to expose the players to actual competition against world-class teams.
“This (Mirnawan Cup) is not just about vying for the trophy but more towards exposure. I want them to feel the heat of international competition.
“Most of the players representing Malaysia are in the 16-year-old age group, and they are from the National Hockey Development Programme.
“Since the Junior World Cup is currently held biennially, we have ample time to polish the talent so that they can represent the country in the next two or four years,” Subahan added.
The tournament, which begins tomorrow and runs until November 26, is set to take place at the Lembah Pantai Hockey Stadium and will feature five boys and six girls teams.
In the boys category, Malaysia will be fielding two teams, namely Malaysia Speedy Tigers (A) and Malaysia Speedy Tigers (B). The other teams are South Africa, the Hockey Association of Odisha from India, and Australia All Star.
The girl’s category, meanwhile, will have Malaysia Speedy Tigress (A), Malaysia Speedy Tigress (B), South Africa, Hockey Association of Odisha from India, Australia All Star, and Japan.
Tunku Mahkota Ismail Sports School hammered Japan 4-1 in the final at the Bukit Jalil National Hockey Stadium to become the inaugural champions of the tournament last year. – November 17, 2023