KUALA LUMPUR, 21 FEBRUARY, 2012: Former Asian snooker champion Sam Chong was named the winner of the inaugural SAM-100PLUS-KBS "Comeback Athlete Of The Year 2011" award by the Sportswriters Association of Malaysia (SAM), the association announced in a statement today.

The 49-year-old made a successful return to the international snooker arena after an absence of nine years, when he beat the odds to win the men's doubles gold medal at the Indonesia SEA Games last year.

Chong, who was the coach of the Malaysian snooker team at the Laos SEA Games in 2009, partnered his protegee and national number one Thor Chuan Leong in the said event. 

During his career high, Chong had once ranked below 100 in the professional circuit of the World Snooker Association and became the first Malaysian to become the Asian champion in 1990.

"Sam Chong will receive the Award during the SAM-100PLUS-KBS "Athlete of The Year (2011)" annual awards ceremony scheduled at a leading hotel in Petaling Jaya on Sunday," said the statement.

According to the statement, the highlights of the awards ceremony will be the SAM-100PLUS-KBS "Sportsman of the Year" award in which 11 nominees have been short listed and the voting would be done by SAM members to pick the best athlete.

"SAM will shortlist five nominees, who will each receive a RM1,000 incentive while the winner takes home RM10,000 and a Crystal Trophy.

"The nominees are Datuk Lee Chong Wei (badminton), Datuk Nicol David (squash), Pandelela Rinong (diving), Fatehah Mustafa, Jupha Somnet (cycling), Nur Suryani Taibi (shooting), Jacqueline Jenelee, Adrian Ang (bowling), Aaliyah Yoong (water-ski), Kevan Cheah (wushu) and the men’s recurve team (archery)," said the statement.


- Bernama