Girls U-12 sprint relay team, Zeronnie win gold
KUCHING: An outstanding individual performance and a crack relay quartet helped Sarawak to pick up two more gold medals on the second day of the 59th national schools track & field championships (MSSM) at the City Stadium, Penang yesterday.
In the Boys U- 15 shot put, Zeronnie Felipe Thomas broke the MSSM record when he hurled the iron ball to 16.80m. This was a good two feet further than the old record of 16.19 established by Samuel Ling of Sarawak in 2015.
Incidentally, Samuel is a fellow Mirian from SM K C hu n g Hu a who will be competing in the U-18 event this year. Zeronnie, a student from SM Riam Road, made up for his disappointment a day earlier when he finished in 13th place despite starting as favourite in the discus.
Nevertheless, Zeronnie’s joy is probably surpassed by Sarawak’s victory in the Girls U-12 4x100m relay.
Four girls, who came together from different parts of the state, clicked to storm home in 52.57sec, pipping Sabah ( 52.76) and Johor ( 52.94). The quartet’s chances of winning were heightened after Dolly Uring Jau (from SK Long Laput, Baram) and Karen Rejie ( SK Ulu Lemanak, Lubok Antu) made it a 1-2 finish for Sarawak in the 100m a day earlier.
Joining Dolly and Karen on top of the podium were Luciana Urai Simon ( SK Senadin, Miri) and Benardine Christy Lepin ( SK Grogo, Bau).
Sarawak col lected another silver through Grace Wong in the Girls U-18 shot put (12.50m) and a bronze from Celine Khoo in the Girls U-15 shot put (10.92m).
The medal standings at 10pm last night showed Sabah in the lead with seven gold followed by Sarawak and Terengganu with six and five respectively.
Selangor, which pipped Sarawak to the overall championship by a solitary gold last year, has a tally of 3 gold.
The four- day national schools track & field meet ends on Friday (April 28).