Sabah junior weightlifters grab one gold, one silver in Pahang

KOTA KINABALU: The Sabah weightlifting squad powered their way to one gold and one silver in the Back-Up Talents Carnival in Kuantan, Pahang over the weekend.

Both the medals at the tournament for junior athletes from around the country were from the ladies’ categories.

Vesandra Jaimis took home the gold medal from the Under-14 event of the 45kg weight division while Irene Jane Henry settled for second place in the Under-12 event of the 35kg weight division.

Sabah sent only four athletes to the carnival with Fernandes Kusiji in the Under-12 category and Hector Xavier Henry for the Under-15 competition.

The budding weightlifters finished ninth overall in their respective age-group categories.

Coach Cornelius Pawon accompanied the athletes to the tournament held at the Youth and Sports Complex in Kuantan. KUALA LUMPUR: National shuttlers Soong Joo Ven and Chong Wei Feng have advanced to Round Three of the Korea Masters badminton championship.

In yesterday’s Round 2 action at the Yeomju Gymnasium in Gwanju City, Joo Ven sent Ko Gyung Bo of the host nation packing in 21-9 and 21-13 while Wei Feng made light work of Zhou Zeqi of China; winning in straight sets of 21-14 and 21-15.

Awaiting Joo Ven in the next round is Lee Chia Hao of Taiwan while Wei Feng will be up against Khosit Phetpradab from Thailand.

Meanwhile, Malaysia’s sole women’s singles representative Soniia Cheah also had a good start in the opening round, beating Fitriani (rpt Fitriani) of Indonesia 21-18,16-21, 21-16 and will be meeting Wang Zhiyi of China in the second round today.

Also advancing to the second round were mixed doubles pair Chan Peng Soon/Cheah Yee See who beat South Korean pair Kang Ji Wook/ Han Ga Hee 21-15, 21-12. They will be taking on South Korean pair Kim Won Ho/Shin Seung Chan next.

Two women’s doubles pairs also did well with Chow Mei Kuan/Lee Meng Yean defeating Cheng Chi Ya/Chung Yu Feng of Taiwan 21-12 and 21-14 followed by Lim Yin Loo/ Yap Cheng Wen being stretched by Chang Hsin Tien/Yu Chien Hui also from Taiwan before prevailing in 1521, 21-13, 21-14. - Bernama