KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 21 — Malaysian waterski golden child Aaliyah Yoong Hanifah will be making her seventh appearance in the Moomba Masters when it is held Melbourne, Australia from March 6-11.
The 15-year-old waterskier is scheduled to take part in the girls’ event as well as in the pro-women’s category, where she will compete against the likes of former world champions Erika Lang and Anna Gay of the United States; Neilly Ross and Whitney McClintock of Canada; and Natallia Berkikava of Belarus.
It’s in the junior category that Aaliyah will try to shine. She is, after all, ranked second in the trick, fourth in the jump and 12th in the slalom events.
Apart from trying to go one better in the trick event, having come in second in 2014 and 2015 and third in 2017, Aaliyah will also be hoping to get on the podium in two other disciplines: jump and overall.
National waterski coach Hanifah Yoong Yin Fah, who is also Aaliyah’s father, said in a statement today that she had shown improvement in all three disciplines in the past months.
He, however, added that it would be difficult for her this year as she would have to divide her time between her studies and the sport as she prepares for her International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) examinations this year.
“Aaliyah has improved in all three disciplines — trick, slalom and jump — in training, more so in jump, which will put her in a strong position to have two chances for podium finishes at the world meet, besides trick, in years to come.
“The near term target for her is to be a junior world champion in 2020, but Aaliyah will have to juggle her waterski career and her studies,” he said.
Aaliyah also admitted that this would be a tough year for her.
“I am going to try not to compromise on my studies just for the sport and will work very hard in both. I am not alone in this, as all young athletes on the way up go through this phase of important exams in schools,” said Aalilyah, who will compete in the 2019 Oceania Championships in Melbourne from March 2-3 with her siblings Aiden Yoong and Adam Yoong as a warm-up to the Moomba Masters. — Bernama
