Goh (front row – fifth left) flanked by Hassan (right) and Alias with officials and some of the athletes.
MIRI: Miri honoured its athletes who emerged champion in the 44th Sarawak Inter-Division Schools Track and Field Championships in Kuching in April and who only narrowly missed the title at the 58th MSSM national schools T&F championships at Sultan Mizan Stadium (Terengganu).
In appreciation of their excellent performance, they were treated to a luncheon at a leading golf club here on Wednesday, while new Assistant Minister for Land and Air Transportation and Safety Datuk Lee Kim Shin presented RM10,000 to the Miri District Education office for athletics development.
Datuk Lee, represented by Councillor Ernest Goh, in his speech commended the athletes, officials, teachers and schools for their excellent run at state and national levels.
“At the state meet on April 4-8, Miri contingent obtained 32 gold, 33 silver and 30 bronze medals. This commendable achievement was due to the commitment of athletes and teachers, who trained rigorously…,” he said.
Present at the luncheon were Miri District Education (PPD) Officer Dr Hassan Hasbollah, his deputy Alias bin Ngah, Noor Elia Elias – PPD Miri head of HR Management, Christopher Tinkai – technical officer of Sarawak Athletics and Henry Edward, technical officer for Miri Primary school athletics
Dr Hassan said the 24 Miri athletes secured four gold, six silver and eight bronze medals at the MSSM meet in Terengganu on May 4-6.
Lim How Seng (Riam Road Sec) broke the national discus record while three other gold medallists included his two schoolmates Voon Wei Jing (shotput) and Lee Say King (javelin) while Nurhaziqah (Sekolah Sukan Sabah) won the triple jump gold.
In a cliff-hanger finish at the MSSM meet, Selangor edged Sarawak by 14 to 13 gold medals to capture the overall title, putting an end to Sarawak’s six-year reign.
The new champions, who last won the title in 2000, also denied Sarawak its 20th title in the last 24 years.