Sarawak throwers in a buoyant mood at the recent National Championships in Bukit Jalil.
SIBU (Jan 5): The weather was not conducive but competition-deprived Sarawak throwers savour the recent National Athletics Championship in Bukit Jalil as an opportunity to get back on track for the 2022 Sukma. Throwing events have been Sarawak’s traditional strength in athletics.
“The performance of the athletes were heavily affected due to the incessant non-stop rain but still, it (the meet) can be used as a yardstick to gauge the standard of the athletics after several months laid off,” said Liong Shuen Keong, Sarawak Sports Council coach for throwing events.
Grace Wong hurled the women’s hammer to a distance of 59.79m to clinch the gold medal. The three-time Sukma champion holds the national record of 62.48m which she set last year. The 21-year-old is currently training under national coach Gu Yuan at the National Sports Council training ground in Bukit Jalil. Ailenna Thipong Laga, Form Six student at SMK Bandar Sarikei, collected the bronze with a 36.88m throw.
Farisha Athirah Wai from SMK Bandar Bintangor threw a personal best of 37.13m in the javelin for second place. She is expected to be joined by Miri’s Ng Jing Xuan to defend the title for Sarawak in the event won by Wong Nie Nie at the 2018 Perak Sukma.
Ng skipped the meet to prepare for her Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) exams. The SMK Chung Hua student has a personal best of 42.68m obtained in 2019.
“Jing Xuan shines brighter but Farisha is pouring in lots of effort to stamp a name for herself,” said Liong who heaped praise on Farisha.
Meanwhile, Sarawak collected the silver and bronze medals in the men’s shot put. Jonah Chang Rigan heaved the iron ball to a distance of 15.80m to finish second ahead of Kong Ching Poh who registered a distance of 15.28m. Jonah has a personal best of 16.45m recorded in 2019 while Kong was hampered by recent hamstring injuries. In the women’s event, fellow Sarawakian and schools champion Celine Khoo Wen Eng recorded a distance of 9.68m.
The state throwers will have another chance to compete when they gather for the Malaysian Open in Bukit Jalil next month.
from Borneo Post Online https://bit.ly/3t01n70
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