Sabah swimmers among best at national meet
KOTA KINABALU: Sabah swimmers impressed at the recent 55th Malaysia Invitational Age Group (MIAG) Swimming Championship that ended at the National Aquatic Center in Bukit Jalil, Kuala Lumpur.
Based on the Malaysian agegroup closed results, Sabah bagged eight gold, 14 silver and 20 bronze medals to be among the best teams in the three-day meet.
Loo Yie Bing, 11, was Sabah’s top swimmer when the SJK (c) Pui Yin Sandakan student bagged three golds in the 50m and 100m freestyle as well as the 50m butterly. She also won three silvers and one bronze.
Apart from that, Yie Bing set two new records in 50m freestyle with a time of 27.96s to beat the 20year-old mark of 28.12 while in the 100m freestyle, she clocked 1:00.46 to erase the old record of 1:00.55 set in 2009.
Another Sandakan swimmers Samuel Ng Chong Cheng and Western Australia-based Adrian Frederic delivered two gold medals.
Chong Cheng of SMK Muhibbah Sandakan won the gold each in the 50m and 100m freestyle. The 12year-old also set new mark in the 50m freestyle with a time of 25.65s, thus beating the 25.98s record set last year.
He also added four silver and one bronze medals to his collection.
As for Adrian, who studies at Leeming Senior High School, Western Australia, he won the gold from the 50m and 100m breaststroke events.
The one remaining gold was from the girls’ relay event in which they also added two silvers and three bronzes.
The relay swimmers for girls are Jeanna John Fabian, Rena Cheong Ming Yen, Laura Lee Yen Nie, Annabelle Frederic, Jemimah Tong Ying Ying, Avril Akchulis Abel, Freya Goddard, Chu Xin Ying, Thien Oi Yee, Yipp Chi Tong, Lovell Wong Hsiao Thang, Cheng Ka Man, Alexis Lee Yen Ling, Sharifah Destinee, Beverly Lai Mei Xi and Loo Yie Bing.
Sabah’s other medallists are Annabelle, 10, with two silvers and one bronze; Ka Man, 16, with two silvers and one bronze; 13year-old Xin Ying (one silver and three bronzes); Sabah’s youngest medallist at 9-year-old Jeanna (three bronzes); and one each from 12-year-old Sharifah, 14-yearold Chong Ka Yong, 20-year-old Hollymax Bell as well as 15-yearold Lovell.
The state boys’ team also added two more bronzes from relay events. The swimmers are Adrian, Filbert Philmond Patrick, Federer Liew Yi, Chong Cheng, Muhammad Yousoff, Chong Ka Yong, Shairul Aiman and Loo Yie Cheng.
Top top it all, Amateur Swimming Union of Malaysia (ASUM) also recognised 12 Sabah swimmers for their efforts at achieving the qualification time standard in the MIAG.
They are Chong Cheng, Adrian, Annabelle, Ignacio Wong Hao Zhe, Lovell, Jeanna, Gerard Tsen Xiang Zhi, Xin Ying, Yie Bing, Ka Man, Ka Yong and Sharifah.
The respective state coaches are very pleased to note the achievements and hoped that their swimmers continue to commit themselves and work hard for their best.
Meanwhile, acting president of Sabah Aquatic Swimming Association (SASA) Patrick Laing Ngau sang the praises for the swimmers for their improved performance.
He thanked the coaches, swimmers and parents for their hard work and commitments.
“I believe Sabah can strive for a better result and should have more medals in the next Sukma (Malaysia Games) if the performance keeps improving.
“SASA would like to thank Sabah Sports Council (MSN) for the continuous support and the financial assistance given for all Sabah aquatic sports.
“The same also goes to swimshop2u (FINIS) of Metrotech Technologies, a company from Penang, who contributed part of the T-shirts and swim cap for Sabah team,” he said in a statement to the press yesterday.
For the record, SASA sent 38 swimmers to the championship that saw 694 athletes, including from foreign countries, taking part in five categories for Open (above 17 years), Group I (15-17 years), Group II (13-14 years), Group III (11-12 years) and Group IV (10 years and below).
The state squad were under team manager Thian Chee Kiun, head coach Elvin Chia who is assisted by Benjamin Lee as well as MSN coach Sean Goh.
SASA too had two representatives, Mohd Azwan Abd Halim and Daniel Liew Vui Eik, officiated as part the technical team in the championship.
“We hope they could learn more on the FINA rules and to apply it locally. SASA will continue to work closely with ASUM and to continue to nominate a representative in officiating at the national meet,” added the acting president.