Sarawak duo shine at MSSM shot putt events

PENANG: It was a memorable day for two Sarawak shot putters – Albert Tiong Kah Hao and Samuel Ling Jeng Yi – in the 59th National Schools Sports Council (MSSM) Track and Field Championships at the City Stadium.

Albert made it a dream debut when he broke the boys’ Under-12 shot putt record – which has stood for 28 years – with a hurl of 14.98m in his first attempt to win the gold.

His efforts was 28cm better than the previous mark of 14.70m set by Nazri Mamat of Kelantan in 1989.

The bespectacled Albert admitted that he did not expect to break the record in his first MSSM meet.

“I was a bit nervous as I didn’t know the strength of the other participants. I just threw it as far as I could and I was surprised to break one of the oldest records in the MSSM meet,” said the Standard Six pupil of SJK Su Ming in Sarikei.

Hours later, Albert’s compatriot Samuel bade a fond farewell to the MSSM by shattering the boys’ Under-18 shot putt record three times in six throws.

Samuel hurled the putt 17.33m with his third throw to surpass the old record of 16.66m set by Muhd Aidil Taufik of Kuala Lumpur in Kuala Terengganu last year.

The Form Five student of SMK Chung Hua in Miri then improved his mark with a distance of 17.38m with his fourth throw.

But he wasn’t done yet, saving his best for his fifth throw – a massive 18.21m.

The crowd roared in unison as he broke the meet record for the third time.

Samuel had never thrown more than 18m in training or competition before.

“My best effort in training was 17.10m ... doing 18.21m in the MSSM is amazing. I must thank my coach Ngu Kit Ming for his guidance.

“This is also my last MSSM meet and I’m happy to end it with a record and a gold medal,” said Samuel.

Three more meet records were rewritten yesterday.

Johor’s Siti Aminah Abdul Hadi broke the girls’ Under-15 javelin record with an attempt of 38.05m – erasing the previous mark of 36.70m set by J. Pavthraa Devi of Penang in 2013.

T. Loganes of Perak clocked a personal best of 49.59 in the boys’ Under-15 400m to better the old mark of 49.79 set by Luqmanul Hakim Khairul Akamal of Pahang in 2014.

Kedah’s Muhd Nazri Mustafa then shattered the boys’ Under-18 long jump record by clearing 7.37m. It erased the previous mark of 7.29m set by Sinar Sazwa Saharudin of Selangor in 2003.