Johnny Ling Siew Hong gestures after cracking the Asean School Games record (62.30m) in the Boys’ Under-18 hammer throw with 67.40m at the Sarawak Stadium yesterday. — Photo courtesy of MSS Sarawak
KUCHING: Johnny Ling Siew Hong stole the thunder on the third day of the 45th MSSS (Majlis Sekolah Sekolah Sarawak) Track and Field Championships at the Sarawak Stadium yesterday when he broke the Asean Schools Games record in the Boys’ Under-18 hammer throw.
The Sibu star made his breakthrough when he heaved the hammer to a new distance of 67.40m to bag the gold and shattered the Asean Schools record of 62.30m set by fellow Sarawakian Michael Sia from Sarikei in 2012.
Johnny also bettered the old MSSS record of 60.81m which he set in last year’s meet.
Another athlete who also bettered her record created last year was Mandy Goh Li of Kuching who leapt to a new mark of 5.34m in the Girls’ Under-18 long jump when compared to 5.33m last year.
The third record of the day was set by Albert Tiong Kah Hoo of Sarikei who threw a new distance of 14.48m in the Boys’ U12 shot put, thus erasing the old record of 14.29m set by fellow athlete from Sarikei Wong Yu Kiong last year. This brings the total number of records to 10 so far. Overall, Miri pulled further ahead in the title race by collecting 339.5 points from a 21-gold 23-silver 22-bronze medal tally after three days of stiff competition.
It would be an uphill task for Kuching to overhaul the leaders as they have only 251.5 points with 20 gold, 12 silver and 14 bronze medals. Sarikei remained in third spot with 169 points after capturing 11 gold, 13 silvers and 10 bronzes.
It is now up to the rest of the field to chase for the fourth and fifth spots and they still have today to win medals and collect more points to better their standings. Today’s action will see 53 more events with 51 gold medals at stake.
Sarawak Education Department director Rakayah Madon is expected to close the meet at 4pm.