SJKC Chun�� Hua Miri, SM Kai Dee emer��e champions at inter-school wushu tourney
MIRI: SJKC Chung Hua Miri and SM Kai Dee were crowned primary school and secondary school champions at the fourth Zhong Hua Wushu Inter-School Open Championship held at SMK St Columba on Friday.
Runner-up in the primary schools section was SMK St Columba Miri, while SM Pei Min settled for third place. Meanwhile, runner-up in the primary schools competition was SJKC Taman Rajang who finish ahead of SJKC Shing Chung.
Organised by Piasau Zhong Hua Wushu Club in collaboration with SMK St Columba Miri, the championship was sanctioned by the Wushu Federation of Sarawak (WFS) and supported by the Sarawak Education Department and Sarawak State Sports Council (MSNS).
“Wushu is not only about self-defence but also helps in developing other skills such as leadership and communication.
“It also deals with moulding the character of an individual with moral values which are inculcated during training,” said Assistant Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture Datuk Lee Kim Shin when officiating at the closing ceremony.
He commended WFS for their effort in identifying talents in wushu, including Miri-born Loh Jack Chang, who won gold medals in taijijian and taijiquan in the 29th SEA Games in Kuala Lumpur last month.
“I hope that our wushu associations would continue to organise more competitions to unearth talents among our students and raise standard of wushu in the state to represent our state in the national and international sporting events,” added Lee.
Seventy participants from 19 schools in Miri, Sibu and Bintulu took part in the competition.
“The meet was open to all primary and secondary schools in Miri as well as schools and affiliates of WFS.
“The response was better than last year,” organising secretary Jong Chin Wei told thesundaypost.
“The main objective of organising this competition is to select the best athletes to represent Miri in the Sarawak Wushu Championship, which will be held in Kuching at the end of the year.
“Apart from that, the meet is to promote wushu and unearth new talents as well as providing a platform for the athletes to gauge their standard,” he said.
The championship attained state-level standard and the judges were either recognised by the state or national wushu bodies, said Jong.
“We are also fortunate to have the MSNS elite coach Yoong Thong Foong here with us as an observer, and conducting a oneday Taiji clinic for students,” he added.
All winners of the competition received trophies, medals and certificates of participation.
Board of SMK St Columba Miri chairman Hubert Kelon, SMK St Columba principal Subah Nyareng and WFS representatives Master Tiong Yong Hee and Wong Hua Siong were also present at the closing ceremony.