ENCOURAGING CONTINUED EXCELLENCE: Tiong (left) presents an incentive award to Nee Gui Ping as SASA chairman Daniel Ngieng looks on. • See Also Page 22
SIBU: Sibu Municipal Council chairman Datuk Tiong Thai King wants Sibu swimmers to dream big to achieve better results in future swimming championships.
“Your destiny is in your own hands. If you dare to dream, there is every possibility that you can excel in the swimming championships,” he said at the closing of Sibu Age Group Swimming Championship held at Bukit Lima Swimming Pool recently.
Tiong, who is Lanang MP, reminded the swimmers that to excel, they needed to train hard, sacrifice their time and pump in more hours to polish their swimming technique as well as skills. “There is no shortcut to success. The only way forward is to train hard.”
He said Sibu swimmers used to rule the pool in the 1970’s and 1980’s, but the standard of Sibu swimmers was dropping.
“We need to get more good swimmers to ensure that Sibu’s reputation as a swimming powerhouse will return,” he said.
Tiong reminded swimmers about the outstanding feat achieved by national diver Pandelela Rinong when she returned with a bronze medal at the 2012 London Olympics. He said Pandelela was not only showered with many awards and prizes for her outstanding performance but had become a symbol of hope for the country’s top athletes to emulate.
“She had brought pride to the nation and helped put Sarawak on the world map,” he added.
Later, Tiong announced a grant of RM10,000 for Sibu Swimming Amateur Association (SASA) to promote the development of swimming.