KUALA LUMPUR: A wiser Hanis Nadiah Onn is making her comeback to the national women's hockey team for the upcoming Hangzhou Asian Games.
The forward was suspended indefinitely in February for posting racist comments on social media related to Indian singer AR Rahman's concert in Kuala Lumpur.
Hanis expressed her gratitude for the opportunity to prove herself again with the national team.
She said the suspension never diminished her determination to work hard, even during her solitary training sessions, as she sought to convince national coach Nasihin Nubli Ibrahim to reinstate her in the national team.
"I worked diligently every day during my suspension to regain my place in the team," she said during a recent training session in Bukit Jalil.
Excited about her second appearance at the Asian Games, the 26-year-old intends to leverage the experience she gained during the 2018 edition to help her team do well in Hangzhou.
Hanis remains optimistic about her team's chances, believing they can replicate their fifth-place finish from the previous Asian Games.
The women's team are in Group A alongside India, South Korea, Hong Kong, and Singapore at the Asian Games.
They will face Hong Kong on Sept 25, followed by India (Sept 29), Singapore (Oct 1) and South Korea (Oct 3).