Azizulhasni Awang and Ziyad Zolkefli bagged the Best Athlete and Best Para-Athlete awards respectively at the 2017 Sportswriters Association of Malaysia (SAM)-100Plus Awards on Thursday.

Last year, Azizulhasni made history when he became the first Malaysia to win the world keirin event at the UCI World Track Cycling Championships in Hong Kong, and Ziyad broke his own world record in men's shot put F20 at the World Para Athletics Championships.

The two national stars, however, were unable to attend the ceremony in Petaling Jaya to receive their honours due to respective commitments.

Azizulhasni is currently in the Netherlands to compete at the 2018 UCI World Track Cycling Championships, while Ziyad is undergoing his training in Germany in preparation for the World Parathletics Grand Prix in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, later this month.

At the same ceremony, the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) was awarded the Most Dynamic Sport Association award following international accomplishments at several age-group levels, which saw the national junior teams of Under-23, Under-19 and Under-16 broke new grounds last year.

2017 Asian Order of Merit champion Gavin Kyle Green and the national women's ten-pin bowling squad received the Special Award honour, while 14-year-old Aaliyah Yoong Hanifah claimed the Best Young Athlete award.

The night also saw Astro Arena reporter Wan Nor Bazly Wan Azmi being named the best reporter of the year as he won the Siebel Award for the second consecutive year.