Sarawak bowling team celebrate on the podium at Ampang Superbowl yesterday. — Photo by Ng Joon Si
IPOH: The Sarawak tenpin bowling team raked in their fifth and sixth gold medals in Sukma XIX through the men’s and women’s teams of five events at Ampang SuperBowl, Ipoh Parade Shopping Mall yesterday.
Abang Afiq Yazid Abang Azman, Abner Loo Chin Lik, Brandon Ting Lik How, Christopher Tiong Lee Siong, Tsen Fan Yew and Muhd Uzair Irsyad Noor Azrul scored a total of 5,869 pins to beat Kuala Lumpur’s Adam Azza Zailan, Mohd Hafiz Zainuddin, Muhd Arash Pakharrurazi, Muhd Haziq Alihanafiah and Muhd Razydan Ismail by 31 pins.
Ariff Ahmad Faisal Ahmad, Megat Zaqrul Haiqal Megat Zairudin, Muhd Hariz Adlan Azman, Muhd Shafiy Zaim Mohd Noor Azam and Wan Zuhairi Izlan Wan Saiful Baharin of Penang were third with 5,757 pins.
In the women’s team of five event, Asya Dania Azree, Dayang Yumi Azreen Anabg Azman, Gillian Lim Siew Giok, Nur Aina Kamalia Abdul Ayub, Nur Hazirah Rambli and Nur Haziqah Ramli were trailing Kuala Lumpur until the final frame but fought gallantly to nail the gold with 5,727 pins.
Perak’s Nur Fadhlin Arisya Mohd Arif, Alyaa Addini Zulamri, Jessica Ting Shuet Yee, Nur Alya Safiya Shamsul Rijal and Nur Aliaa Ramli also made a late surge to claim the silver with 5,691 pins, pushing Kuala Lumpur’s Siti Nurzulaika Ismail, Siti Nurnadia Ismail, Durriyah Ibrahim, Najwa Nazirah Mohd Amir, Nora Lyana Natasia Norkamal and Nur Syazana Salmy into third spot with 5,642 pins.
The bowling warriors from Sarawak wore traditional head gears when they received their medals from Amateur (Tenpin) Bowling of Sarawak president Sunny Si Poh Heng during the prize presentation.
“It was just an incredible performance today from our boys and girls.
“The boys came from behind and the girls came from very, very far behind to win.
“They were trailing but we never lost hope.
“We always have faith in our bowlers, officials, coaches and our bowling programme and we know that we can do it,” he said.
There was golden cheers from the state muay team at Grik District Council Multipurpose Hall, with Awangku Abdul Rahman edging Muhd Azizi Shamsuddin of Terengganu 29-28 in the men’s 48-51kg final while Aurora Xinghua Chai Xiao Mei won the women’s 48-51kg gold.
In pencak silat, Ester Tera Empi delivered gold in the women’s Class Bebas 65-90kg.
Sarawak ended its campaign in taekwondo with three gold, eight silver and two bronze medals at SMK San Min’s Tan Poh Sang Hall in Teluk Intan yesterday.
The final day saw the state athletes capture three more silver in the kyorugi events through Tie Sing Da (men’s fly weight), Calvin Li Wen Jiun (men’s welter weight) and Jasline Jacob Kilder (women’s fin weight).
Diving at Tuanku Zara Aquatic Centre, MBI Sports Complex saw Enrique Maccartney Harold and Bertrand Rhodict Lises adding another silver and bronze medal from the men’s platform event.
National swimmer Angela Chieng Chui Fei bagged her third gold in swimming after she won the women’s 400m freestyle in 4:28.27.
At SM Poi Lam (SUWA), Sarawak’s men’s and women’s 3-on-3 basketball teams reached the last eight but were knocked out by Johor 22-16 and Penang 17-14 respectively.
As at 9pm, Sarawak are in fourth spot with 37 gold, 30 silver and 56 bronze medals behind leaders Terengganu who had captured 46 gold, 40 silver and 47 bronze, Kuala Lumpur (42-35-42) and Selangor (38-61-57).