Record galore at Inter-division schools sports meet

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SIBU: Two more records tumbled and this brought to a total number of five, including one national record, as the Inter-Division Schools Athletic Championship entered its second day at Stadium Tun Zaidi yesterday .

Kuching continued to rule supreme and top the list in the overall category but it was Bintulu’s Jonathan Tinggang superb performance in the Boys U-15 high jump that provide the spark in an otherwise dull and sunny day.

The 15-year-old student of SMK Tatau soared to a height of 1.95m to equal the mark set by Johore’s Poh Yu Seng in 2005.

Sarawak Amateur Athletics Association technical advisor Ting Siew Nguong described Jonathan as a champion in the making.

“Given time, he should be able to reach greater heights. He is only 15 years old and hopefully, he will continue to generate an interest in the sport,” he said.

Ting said Jonathan, slim and alert, possessed all the qualities to be a champion.

“So long as his love for the sport doesn’t wane and he continued to train hard, then there is a strong possibility that his names could make headlines in the next few years,” he added.

Last year, Jonathan took part in the U-14 Little Athletic Championship held in Kuala Lumpur and returned with a gold medal.

His challengers included those from Australia, Malaysia and Singapore.

He also took part in the Inter-state Athletic Championship last year and won the gold medal in the U-15 category though he was only 14 years old then.

“He has a great future and a bright prospect in the high jump event. That is what I can commend about him.

“Hopefully, he will continue to train hard, push himself to the limit so as to attain higher success.”

The other record of the day came courtesy of Ting Aik Hou, also in the field event.

The Miri-boy hurled the Boys U-15 discuss to a new record of 13.84, breaking the old mark set by Ling Neng Kang in 1998, also in the Boys U-15 category.

The three other record breakers on the first day included Nor Kamisiah Wati Said in the Girls U-14 high jump (1.49m), Grace Wong in Girls U-12 shot putt (new national record at 12.23m) and Erlysiana Jhatty Buma in Girls U-15 triple jump (11.09m).

Meanwhile, Kuching continued to rule supreme in the overall category when it secured 135 points, followed by Miri with 116 pts, Sibu with 87 pts, Sarikei with 73 pts and Samarahan with 57 pts.

In the Boy’s overall category, Miri topped the list with 61 points, followed by Kuching at 60, Sarikei at 40 and Bintulu at 34.

In the Girl’s overall category, Kuching was top with 79 points, followed by Sibu at 55, Miri at 55 and Samarahan at 34.