Malaysian Sportswriters Association Announces 2024 Athlete of the Year Award Nominees

Strategic Insights -

The Malaysian Sportswriters Association (SAM) has unveiled the nominees for the 2024 Athlete of the Year Award, featuring a talented lineup of world-class athletes and Olympians who have brought pride to the nation on the international stage. The competition will be fiercely contested, with five nominees vying for the top spot. Meanwhile, the contest for the 2024 Best Para Athlete of the Year Award will also see intense rivalry between two familiar names. The winners of both main athlete awards will receive RM10,000 in cash and a trophy at the awards ceremony.

Key Takeaways:

  • The nominees for the 2024 Athlete of the Year Award include Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik, the country's second-ranked men's badminton doubles pair, who were bronze medallists at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, as well as Sin Li Jane, a world-class women's bowler, Nor Farah Ain Abdullah, a lawn bowls champion, and Soh Wai Ching and Tan Cheong Min, a tower runner and wushu ace respectively.
  • The contest for the 2024 Best Para Athlete of the Year Award will feature familiar names Cheah Liek Hou and Bonnie Bunyau Anak Gustin, who are both aiming to capture the trophy for the third time since its introduction in 2016.
  • Three other para athletes, Muhammad Ziyad Zolkefli, Datuk Abdul Latif Romly, and Eddy Bernard, are also in the running for the coveted award.
  • The winners of both main athlete awards will receive RM10,000 in cash and a trophy at the awards ceremony.
  • The SAM-100PLUS 2024 Awards will also recognize excellence in sports journalism through six categories, with the top journalism award, the Siebel Award, carrying a cash prize of RM10,000 and the Popular Sports Commentator Award carrying a cash prize of RM3,000.

Statistics:

  • Five nominees are vying for the 2024 Athlete of the Year Award.
  • RM10,000 is the cash prize for the 2024 Athlete of the Year Award.
  • Cheah Liek Hou and Bonnie Bunyau Anak Gustin are both aiming to capture the 2024 Best Para Athlete of the Year Award for the third time since its introduction in 2016.
  • The awards ceremony is scheduled to be held on July 14.
  • The cash prize for the Siebel Award has been increased to RM10,000 and the Popular Sports Commentator Award has been increased to RM3,000.

Sources:

  • BERNAMA News Agency (01 Jul 2025)
  • Malaysian Sportswriters Association (no date provided)