Sarikei throws off early challenge from Bukit Jalil
SIBU: Sarikei Selected, powered by national thrower Grace Wong, is leading the medal tally with six gold, three silver and seven bronze at the end of the first day of the Sibu Open Track & Field Championship at Stadium Tun Zaidi yesterday.
Grace, the reigning SEA Games champion in the hammer, threw 53.16m to win her event comfortably in a meet record.
The 18-year-old student from SMK Tinggi has a personal best of 60.99m which is the national record.
“There is hardly anyone to challenge and I believe I could do better if given a push,’ she said.
The other five gold medals for the Sarikei contingent were all delivered by the throwers: Queenie Ting (Women’s discus), Wong Yu Kiong (Boy’s U-14 shot put), Caren Law (Girl’s U-11 shot put), Karen (Girl’s U-14 discus) and Farisha Athiran Wai (Girl’s U-14 javelin).
‘Our forte is still in the throw events and that is where our strength lies,” said Sarikei Selected team manager Liong Shuen Keong.
Meanwhile, Bukit Jalil Sports School won four gold, two silver and two bronze medals to finish just behind yesterday.
Four other teams ended with at least two golds each: Miri’s Riam Road Secondary School (3-2-2), SMK Tabuan Jaya (2-3-3), Axis Petra Jaya Track and Field Club (2-1-0) and SMk Katibas (2-0-0).
Nearly 900 athletes from Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah and Sarawak are taking part in the two-day meet.