'Iron Lady' Zaiton deserving winner

2009/11/19

THE former "Iron Lady of Athletics" Zaiton Othman was crowned as the winner of the 2009 Women and Sport Award at the Wisma OCM Indoor Sports Complex last night. Zaiton received her award from Deputy Sports Minister Datuk Razali Ibrahim. There were also five other awards given to persons who had in various ways advanced the cause of women in sports.

The award is part of the International Olympic Committee's efforts to promote gender equity in sport.

Zaiton, the former heptathlete who dominated the event for more than a decade in Southeast Asia, was judged the winner for her untiring efforts to increase women participation in sport and assisting them to pursue excellence.

Faridah Osman, an archery coach in Kuala Selangor who has been producing successful athletes at MSSM, Selangor and Malaysia Games levels received the Woman and Sport Award for Grassroots Development while Tunku Dara Tunku Naquiah Tuanku Ja'afar, who has been the president of the Negri Sembilan Women's Football Association for 40 years and president of the Malaysian Women's Football Association for 14 years preceived the Women and Sport Leadership Award.

Ann-Marie and Desmond David, parents of world squash champion Nicol David and Faudziah Mokhtar and Abdul Rahman, parents of Tenpin Bowling sensation Siti Safiyah received the Women and Sport Partnership Awards.