Sabah golden streak con nues
KOTA KINABALU: The Sabah contingent bagged six gold medals for the second straight day in the 19th Malaysia Games (Sukma).
The achievement equalled their total gold haul on Wednesday, which remain their best showing over a single day of competition in the Sukma.
As of 8pm yesterday, the sports Muaythai, athletics, swimming, diving, pencak silat and sailing contributed six gold medals, in addition to seven silver and seven bronze from various sports yesterday.
Overall, the Sabah contingent have collected 26 gold, 26 silver and 42 bronze medals which also meant that they have equalled their best-ever gold haul won in Sukma hosted by other states.
Sabah also won 26 gold in the 2006 Sukma in Kedah, in addition to 26 silver and 29 bronzes, and looked set to set a new high with two more days of competition in the ongoing Sukma.
Meanwhile, Sabah also achieved a first in their involvement of Sukma yesterday.
Nur Tamisah Amira Abdul Rahman created history as she became the first exponent from the state to win a Muaythai gold in Sukma.
Tamisah won the gold in the women’s 42-45kg final where she fended off a strong home support from Perak’s Nor Atasha Mohd Nor to score a 30-27 victory at the Grik District Council multipurpose hall.
There were also joys from the aquatic sports with one gold each from diving and swimming.
SEA Games gold medallist Jellson Jabillin produced a strong final dive to clinch the men’s Platform diving gold with 347 points and denied Sarawak duo Enrique Maccartney Anak Harold (329.9 points) and Bertrand Rhodict Anak Lises (314.35 points) who settled for silver and bronze medals.
Hollymax Bell then turned saviour for the swimming squad by winning their only gold from the men’s 100m Butterfly in a time of 56.55s.
In Sailing, young Syahzharoul Aiman Aiman won the boy’s Optimist U-15 with 16 points, followed by Muhammad Khaidir Mohd Zahawi of Terengganu with 21 points and Putera Adrine Danish Mohd Puad of Negeri Sembilan with 34 points.
Pencak silat also continued their golden run for a second straight day with Nurul Hazifah Jederion winning the women’s Class F (70-75kg) against Federal Territory’s Malahayati Zahlan 5-0.
The men’s 4x400m relay team of Shahrimien Saimoh, Riksi Tahir, Tonga Jody Edmund and Zaidie Khani Kanisus gave athletics a golden conclusion to their challenge, winning the sixth gold of the day in 3:14.42s.
The silver were from sailing athletes Nor Naeilah Nor Hassan in the women’s Laser Radial and Nur Aisah Rose Ramlee (women’s Laser 4.7), weightlifter Caroline Joachim (women’s 90kg Clean & Jerk), Muay exponent Vireen Teo (women’s 51-54kg), Silat athlete Yvonne Yap (women’s Class C 55-60kg), Benedict Ian Gawok (men’s 110m hurdles) and Mohd Alif Mohd Rozi (men’s Javelin Throw).
As for the bronze medals, the winners were Beckham Buing (men’s Javelin Throw), Chelsea Cassiopea Evali Bopulas (women’s 200m), women’s 4x400m athletics relay (Camellia Jasten, Chelsea, Puteri Nur Safirah Gajali, Sharifah Aisyah Mohamad), Karmentina Nadia Quadra (women’s 100m hurdles), divers Nur Ain Nadzmi and Nurfazriyanti Jali (women’s Synchronised 3m Springboard), Caroline (women’s 90kg Snatch) and from swimming in the women’s 4x200m Freestyle (Loo Yie Bing, Lovell Wong Hsiao Thang, Chu Xin Ying, Cheng Ka Man).