Hii (seated at centre) with Kotas swimmers and officials pose before a warm-up session at the Bukit Lima swimming pool in Sibu yesterday. — Photo by Ting Tieng Hee
SIBU: Kota Samarahan Amateur Swimming Association (Kotas) are looking forward to another good performance in the 42nd Sarawak Age Group Swimming Championship that kicks off today and ends Sunday at the Bukit Lima swimming pool here.
Team manager Hii Tuang Sing said their swimmers have trained very hard and are relishing the challenge from the other five teams namely host Sasa (Sibu Amateur Swimming Association), Kasa 2010 (Kuching Amateur Swimming Association), Masa (Miri Amateur Swimming Association), Basa (Bintulu Amateur Swimming Association) and Lasa (Limbang Amateur Swimming Association).
Kasa 2010 are fielding the biggest contingent of 63 swimmers, followed by Sasa (46), Masa (45), Kotas (41), Lasa (11) and Basa (9).
“We are banking on a few swimmers like Tan Tyng, Hii brothers Puong Wei and Puong Jie to be the main gold medal contributors while others like Anson Go, Chang sisters Rachel and Renee to also deliver medals,” said Hii although he didn’t specify any medal target.
A total of 215 swimmers including 94 girls are vying for top honours in the three-day championship aimed at selecting the best swimmers to represent Sarawak in the National Age Group Swimming Championship at Bukit Jalil, Kuala Lumpur from April 24-26.
The five categories in the boys and girls events are Group A (15-17 years old), Group B (13-14 years old), Group C (11-12 years old), Group D (9-10 years old) and Group E (8 years old and under).
The best individual performers in all categories will receive the best boys and best girls awards but there will be no award for the overall champions.
Meanwhile, Sarawak head coach Hii Hieng Chiong is optimistic that a few records will be created in the meet especially in the Group A-C categories but concerned about weather conditions.
“As you see, the weather was fine the past few days until a downpour on Wednesday afternoon and heavy rain, lightning and thunder today.
“Let’s hope Mother Nature will be kind to us in the next few days,” he told the Borneo Post.
Hii, also Sasa head coach, said he is expecting the main challenge for honours would be between Kotas and Kasa 2010 while his team will also be gunning for a share of the gold medals.
“We do not have a strong team like in the past because we are facing lack of young swimmers in our development programme and there is a gap in the age of the swimmers,” he said.
He is hoping that Nee Gui Ping, the Ngu brothers Jiung Wei and Jiung Jing as well as Cindy Sui would do well to capture the gold medals for Sasa and up and coming youngster Angel Lau to bag a few medals.
“I am not confident if Gui Ping can dominate in all his events because he has not been feeling well lately and turn up consistently for the training.”
“The swimmers to watch out for are Zachary Tan, Adrian Wee, Mandy Teo, Natasha Teo from Kasa 2010, Tan Tyng, Hii Puong Wei and Hii Puong Jie from Kotas and from Masa we have Sukma swimmers Tan Chong Heng and Leong Wan Ying,” said Hii.
He will also be keeping a watchful eye for potential swimmers at the state age group swimming meet to be roped into the Sukma 2016 team.