Asian Games: 28 gold medallists receive life policies

Kuala Lumpur: Twenty-eight gold medallists in the Commonwealth Games and Asian Games will receive whole life policies worth between RM10,000 and RM100,000 each.

Athletes who won individual gold medals were given policies worth RM50,000 each while each member of a gold medal winning pair received policies worth RM25,000.

For teams of more than two person who clinched a gold in New Delhi and Guangzhou, will receive policies valued at RM10,000 each.

Olympic Council of Malaysia (OCM) president Tunku Tan Sri Imran Tuanku Ja'afar said after a sponsorship signing with Carlsberg Marketing Sdn Bhd here Thursday that the policies were provided under OCM's Athletes Retirement Scheme for athletes who excelled in their respective sport.

He said from the 17 gold medallists at the Commonwealth Games and 11 from the Asiad, only world number one squash player Datuk Nicol Ann David won gold medals in both the Games.

He said Nicol's outstanding achievement earned her a RM100,000 policy, and with her earlier policies received, made her the highest beneficiary with a total of RM250,000 in over 12 years, from 1998 to 2010.

"To date, 88 athletes have benefited from the scheme which now stands at RM3.1 million. They made the country proud by winning at the past Asian Games, Commonwealth Games and the Olympics," he said.

Nicol, Chai Fong Ying (wushu), R. Puvaneswaran (karate), Alex Liew Kien Liang and Adrian Ang Hsien Loong (tenpin bowling) attended the event Thursday.

Imran said by the year 2013, the premium payment by OCM would cease and the athletes could redeem their policies for cash.

"However, it is recommended not to redeem the policy but to let it accumulate for a longer period because the value will increase," he said.

Nicol said the OCM's Athletes Retirement Scheme was beneficial and could support national athletes to be more successful in their career.

Meanwhile, Nicol will embark on a three-week training stint in Melbourne, Australia to prepare for the new season next year.

Nicol said she would leave for Melbourne on Jan 2, to train under her mentor Sarah Fitz-Gerald, before taking part in her first event in Cleveland, Ohio, United States from Feb 4 to 6.

After the US meet, Nicol, who won gold medals in the New Delhi Commonwealth and Guangzhou Asian Games, said she would fly to Amsterdam, Holland for another tournament later.

"I need to stay strong because starting March, there will be lot of big tournaments waiting on the Women's International Squash Players Association (Wispa) calendar," said Nicol.

Nicol said there would be between 10 to 12 tournaments in her schedule for next year.

Australian Fitz-Gerald had won five World Open titles, which was equalled by Nicol when she clinched the World Open in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt, last Sept.

Asked to describe her achievement throughout the year, Nicol said it has been a fruitful year compared to 2009, adding that she wants to open a new chapter after what she had achieved in 2010.- Bernama