A healthy dose of sunshine for Manjung folk

MANJUNG: The morning sun warmly greeted participants at the state-level Hari Sukan Negara celebration in Manjung Municipal Council stadium here.

Thousands took part in the 30km and 15km Iconic cycling, 5km fun run and 2.5km Hari Sukan Negara walk. Disabled folks also joined in. The highlight of the event was a Malaysia Book of Records effort when Gabungan Sepak Takraw Daerah Manjung (Gasma) broke the record for largest participation in Sepak Raga Tujuh event, with 1,309 players taking part.

Perak Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir launched the event yesterday. He was accompanied by Perak Sports, Communications and Multimedia Committee chairman Datuk Shahrul Zaman Yahya in the cycling event.

It was a proud moment for the folk of Manjung.

Businessman M.S. Prabhu, 49, said: ‘I’m very proud because as a citizen of Malaysia. It’s good to see people from various races gathering for the sports day. This is the first time my karate club is participating in a huge event.”

Prabhu is part of the Setiawan Karate-Do Club and he was there to accompany some of the exponents who demonstrated their skills in front of the dignitaries.

During the event, silat, karate, taekwondo and Muay Thai exponents showcased their skills. In a performance called “Waja Diri”, exponents of all four martial arts performed a fusion demonstration.

Taekwondo instructor Mary Loo, 42, said:“Our country is capable of becoming a sporting nation and the recent Olympics and Paralympics success will surely be the catalyst for our sports growth.”

Zambry said he was informed that 400,000 people had taken part in events held at different locations in Perak.

In Kota Baru, Kelantan, 11-year-old Syed Irfan Syed Mohamad was so geared up for the colour run of the state level Hari Sukan Negara that he convinced his father to be at the carnival at 5am.

Syed Irfan together with his father and brother had to wait for three hours at the Teachers Training Institute here before they could see any activities.

“I do not know why I am so excited to go for the colour run and I could not wait to run in the race with my elder brother,” he said when interviewed.

The event was launched by International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamad.