Make Nicol our tourism envoy

MALAYSIANS are extremely pleased to see the consistency and perseverance of this young star called Datuk Nicol Ann David.

She is an excellent role model and the most successful sports icon, as our beloved Prime Minister so aptly described her.

Nicol is no ordinary Malaysian. At the tender age of six she started playing squash, received coaching at eight and has since blossomed into an international star.

She has been consistently winning not only local but also international tournaments. She is the world number one in women’s squash.

She was the first Asian woman to win the British Open, in 2005, and did so twice more, in 2006 and 2008. She has six World Open championships – in 2005 and 2006, and from 2008 to 2011 – under her belt, the first WISPA player to do so.

What is the difference between Datuk Nicol David and other prominent sports personalities of the world today?

David Beckham, Tiger Woods, Serena Williams, Christiana Ronaldo, Wayne Rooney and many others are great sport personalities but not ones who can be emulated by our young.

Nicol personifies the true Malaysian. She is excellent in her perfomance and yet humble and simple. She has helped put Malaysia on the squash map.

She must be invited by all leading universities in Malaysia to share her story, her discipline, courage, perseverance, dedication and indomitable will to be on top of the world.

She should be featured in our Tourism Malaysia promotion materials as she is already an international icon, and one who is ready to further promote Malaysia.

We should not pay millions to foreigners to promote Malaysia. Malaysia must be promoted by Malaysians, and Nicol is the best person to do so.

The Government should also set up an excellence centre under her name and bring young Malaysians to this academy to train them to emulate this young lass. We should start producing more Nicols in all sectors so that we can walk tall and proud. One Datuk Nicol is certainly not enough.

Malaysia is proud of you, Datuk Nicol David. Kudos to you, your coach and your parents. We salute you for making Malaysia world class.

Source - thestar.com.my