Sarawak won 84 medals to be overall paralympics champions

Khairy presents the Best Female Athlete award to Carmen Lim of Selangor. At left is Fatimah.

KUCHING: Swimmers anchored Sarawak to retain its status as the country’s Paralympics powerhouse with 84 gold medals in the just concluded 18th Malaysia Paralympic Games to emerge champion for the 12th consecutive edition.

The state’s strong contingent of 201 athletes grabbed 220 medals, including 63 silver and 73 bronze, throughout the five-day event since Aug 6 and became overall champion in swimming, tenpin bowling and powerlifting. This feat enabled Sarawak to surpass its initial target of 80 gold medals. The state has won the biennial National Paralympic Games since 1994.

Aquatics was the biggest contributor to the state’s medal tally with 39 gold, 17 silver and 11 bronze. Although the accomplishment failed to match the state’s aquatic performance in the previous Paralympic Games in Perlis of 44 gold medals, Sarawak swimmers have every reason to be proud of surpassing the 38-gold medal target.

Paralympians deserve equal reward — Khairy

File photo of Melaka’s Nurul Aminahayu competing in the women’s 100m freestyle event during the 18th National Paralympic Games in Kuching. — Bernama photo

KUCHING: All states throughout the country have been challenged to give the same priority and reward to the para-athletes as enjoyed by their able-bodied counterparts.

Youth and Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin said the respective state governments must accord similar treatment and incentives to aid development of the special athletes especially if they triumphed in international competitions.

He pointed out that para-athletes put as much effort in to achieve success and put Malaysia on the world’s sporting map and that it is only deserving that they received rewards on par as the able-bodied sportsmen.

Cash upset HKH to lift SCC Annual Matchplay trophy

Cash players celebrating their victory on the podium at Samarahan Country Club last Sunday.

SAMARAHAN: The SCC Annual Matchplay (Yale Challenge Trophy) ended last Sunday with Cash exacting revenge on their close rival HKH Pink in the final to lift the trophy.

The final was a rematch of the two teams that met in Kelab Golf Sarawak Team Match play Championship final in March this year.

During that final, HKH Pink beat Cash to emerge the eventual champions of the event. However, in Sunday’s final Cash upset the form book to pip HKH to the winners circle by taking the game all the way to the last hole.

Victorious divers Pandelela, Cheong get pension for life

RIO DE JANEIRO: Divers Pandelela Rinong and Cheong Jun Hoong will share the RM600,000 cash incentive and a monthly pension of RM3,000 following their silver medal feat at the Rio Olympic Games here.

Under the National Sports Council incentive scheme for Olympics, a gold medal winner received RM1 million and a monthly pension of RM5,000; a silver medallist, RM600,000 plus a RM3,000 pension and a bronze winner , RM100,000 plus a RM2,000 pension.

Pandelela and Jun Hoong won the silver medal in the women’s synchronised 10m platform after collecting 344.34 points. China won the gold and Canada, the bronze.

Sarawak paralympians Jong and Jamery to compete in Rio

Fatimah (second left) flanked by (from left) Sarawak Sports Corporation CEO Dr Ong Kong Swee (left), Samariang assemblywoman Sharifah Hasidah Syed Aman Ghazali (second right) and Jabatan Kebajikan Masyarakat (JKM) Sarawak director Abang Shamsudin Abang Seruji.

KUCHING: Two state athletes, powerlifter Jong Yee Khie and swimmer Jamery Siga, will be representing the country in the upcoming Rio 2016 Paralympics taking place from Sept 7 to 18.

Jong was also chosen to become the flag bearer to represent Malaysia during the opening ceremony of the Paralympic games.

“We are very proud that these two athletes will be competing at an international stage,” said Minister of Welfare, Women and Community Wellbeing Datuk Fatimah Abdullah, who disclosed the news during a press conference at the Sarawak Aquatic Centre today (Aug 9).

St Joseph crowned KGS Captain’s Alumni Golf nett champions

St Joseph Alumni golfers celebrate at the KGS Captain’s Alumni Golf tournament after receiving the challenge trophy and personal trophies from Mawan. — Photo courtesy of Kelab Golf Sarawak

KUCHING: St Joseph Alumni wrested the KGS Captain’s Alumni Golf nett title from St Thomas Alumni at Kelab Golf Sarawak in Petra Jaya on Saturday.

Led by Dr David Sylvester Ling, the ex-Josephians registered a total score of 1,485 (best 20 players) to lift the Tan Sri William Mawan challenge trophy. Placed second were St Thomas Alumni (total nett score of 1,546), followed by Tanjong Lobang College Alumni from Miri and Sacred Heart Alumni from Sibu, fourth.

St Thomas Alumni retained the gross title in the 10th edition of the tournament with a total score of 519 strokes, three strokes ahead of St Joseph Alumni. Tanjong Lobang Alumni (533) ended third with Sacred Heart Alumni (556) fourth.

Abdul Karim suspicious with motive

KUCHING: Sarawak Cycling Association (SCA) president Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah was baffled with the ongoing investigation by the Malaysia Anti Corruption Commission on the SUKMA cycling venues.

He said he just couldn't dismiss the possibilities of some quarters were trying to project a negative image of the association or the State.

Abdul Karim, as quoted by a national English daily on Friday, said there had been a lot of nasty and unflattering remarks hurled against the association that had caused him to be suspicious on the current issue revolving around the organisation of SUKMA.

Paralympians a torch of inspiration -Adenan

Dancers stage a performance at the opening.

Dancers stage a performance at the opening.

Dancers stage a performance at the opening.

Dancers stage a performance at the opening.

KUCHING: Malaysian Paralympians can inspire their non-athletic counterparts to lead a more goal-directed life, said Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Adenan Satem.

“To all of the participants, I hope you will share your spirit, your dream and determination, and your key to success with the other disabled persons. I’m sure you can inspire them; I also believe you can make a difference to their lives,” he said when opening the 18th Malaysian Paralympic Games 2016 at Stadium Perpaduan in Petra Jaya here yesterday.

The chief minister’s representative Uggah (centre) with Fatimah (fourth left) acknowledge the athletes after the symbolic launch. Also seen from third right are Jeanne, Abdullah, State Secretary Tan Sri Datuk Amar Mohamad Morshidi Abdul Ghani, Assistant Minister for Welfare and Community Wellbeing Dr Abdul Rahman Ismail and Fatimah’s husband Datu Dr Adi Badiozaman Tuah (extreme left).

His text of speech was read out by Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas. Uggah led both the athletes and the crowd to cheer ‘Ooh-ha’ three times before delivering the speech.

Sarawak track breached international standards

KUALA LUMPUR: An international cycling official present at the Malaysia Games BMX competition in Sarawak last month has described the track layout as a clear breach of international safety regulations, reported New Straits Times today. 

The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the event should not have been allowed to go on as the organisers had violated the most important safety regulation for track layout, outlined by the International Cyclists Union (UCI). 

A key safety requirement for track layout, according to the UCI guideline, is that the first straight, from the start hill to the first berm (raised bank), must have a minimum distance of 70m. 

Malaysia’s best shot at Olympic gold glory

MALAYSIA’S 28 million people will be rooting for the 32-athlete contigent to end the 60-year wait for the elusive gold medal when the Rio Olympic Games begin here today (Friday in Rio).

Since the 1956 Melbourne Games, Malaysia had recorded a total of six medals with fi ve from badminton and a bronze from diving queen, Pandelela Rinong.

In Rio, the nation has its eyes on badminton star Datuk Lee Chong Wei who is expected to end his bridesmaid role to two-time champion Lin Dan of China in the two previous fi nal in 2008 Beijing and 2012 London Games.

PARALIMPIAD: 80 pingat emas sasaran Sarawak

 

KUCHING: Sebanyak 80 pingat emas disasarkan kontinjen negeri untuk terus mempertahankan kejuaraan bagi kali ke-12 pada Kejohanan Paralimpiad Malaysia XVIII yang berlangsung di sini bermula 6 hingga 10 Ogos ini.

Menteri Kebajikan, Wanita dan Kesejahteraan Komuniti Datuk Fatimah Abdullah berkata sasaran pingat emas tersebut ditetapkan menerusi acara renang, olahraga, pingpong, catur, badminton, boling tenpin dan angkat berat.

“Kita menyasarkan 38 emas bagi acara renang, olahraga 30 emas, tenpin boling lima emas, angkat berat empat emas serta satu emas masing- masing acara pingpong, catur dan badminton,” katanya pada Majlis Penyerahan Bendera Kontinjen Sarawak Ke Kejohanan Paralimpiad Malaysia Ke-18 Sarawak 2016 di Dewan Kompleks Belia dan Sukan Sarawak di sini semalam.