Participants of the 24th Sarawak Wushu Championship posing with Miri mayor Lawrence Lai (11th right), Wushu Federation of Sarawak deputy president James Ting (10th right), organising chairman Roy Kiew (ninth right), officials and guests.
KUCHING: A combined Kuching team dominated the 24th Sarawak Wushu Championship in Miri last Friday as they romped to the overall championship title after capturing 82 gold, 32 silver and 13 bronze medals as well as five fourth place finishes.
Represented by Kelab Wushu Bandar Kuching, Kelab Wushu Sekama and Kelab Wushu Serian, the 30-member team led by coach Ling Ung Hee accumulated 132 points to top the two-day meet organised in Miri for the first time.
Former national junior and Sukma XVII exponent Elvic Bong Qian Zheng starred for the Kuching team by sweeping eight gold medals which earned him the Best Male Athlete award.
The 15-year-old student from SMK Kuching High was the best performer in the optional routine changquan, Group A changquan, Group A elementary changquan (15 years old), taijiquan style 16 (15 years old), Group A jianshu, Group B standard routine jianshu,
Group A qiangshu and team event.
Eleven-year old Fu Wen Jie of SJK Chung Hua No. 4 also impressed by winning the optional routine changquan and team event.
Fu, who also took the silver in Group C changquan, Group B standard routine jianshu and Group C junior jianshu, was adjudged the Best Girl Athlete of the championship.
Other top contributors were seven gold each from Bong Yun Pin and Cynthia Chang, five each from Clement Thian Fung Seng, siblings Lai Yun Yi and Lai Shi Yu while Lee Hui Xian and Mandy Lim bagged four gold each.
Meanwhile, Miri finished runners-up after capturing 35 gold, 19 silver, 12 bronze and three fourth-place finishes to accumulate 69 points.
In third place were Sarikei with 32-17-5-4 while Kelab Wushu Permai Timur (Sibu) ended fourth with 29-11-3-1.
Visiting RS Academy from Selangor was fifth with seven gold and a silver.