GCM swimmers back on top after 17 years

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Chung (right, second back row), Leong (right, back row), assistant team manager Dona Caroll (right) and other officials celebrate with the swimmers at the end of the championship.

KUCHING: Gymkhana Club Miri (GCM) made a major breakthrough at the 40th Miri Age Group Swimming Championship at Miri Public Swimming Pool last Sunday when their swimmers won the championship for the first time since 2002.

The 34-member team managed by Leong Wee Ming splashed to 49 gold, 39 silver and 21 bronze medals to top the six-team competition organised by Miri Amateur Swimming Association (MASA).

Coming in second place were MASA with 37 gold, 24 silver and 34 bronze medals while third placed Sailfish Aquatic Athletics Centre bagged 20 gold, 15 silver and nine bronze medals.

In fourth to sixth place were Kelab Renang Pujut Miri (6-13-17), Dolphin Swimming Club (6-11-15), Unattached (1-2-3), Brunei Speed Swimming Club (0-6-0) and Swimming Tutong Team (0-0-1).

GCM earned more honours as four of its swimmers won the best swimmers awards. They were Nigel Tay Yu Yi who took the Best Boy Group 1 after bagging nine gold, three silver and one bronze, Seau Zhi Ping Best Boy Group 4 (five gold, five silver), Imara Hayashimoto Best Girl group 3 (eight gold, one silver) and Claire Lau Yu Rong Best Girl Group 4 (10 gold).

Only one new record was created during the meet by seven-year old Ethanael Lim Cern of Sailfish Aquatic Athletics Centre who clocked 49.46s in the Boys 8 & Under 50m backstroke. The old time of 49.78s was set by Ericsson Bong Cheng Loong in 2014.

GCM head coach David Chung, who is assisted by Allister Chung and Gregory Ang, gave credit to his young charges.

He said it was an unexpected and historic achievement as the team comprised mainly young swimmers out to gain exposure.

GCM has been playing bridesmaid to MASA in the last three meets in 2013, 2015 and 2016. There was no competition in 2017 and 2018.

Kapitan Ngieng Hok Diing, who represented Assistant Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture Datuk Lee Kim Shin, closed the event and gave away the prizes.

Also present was MASA president Sim Chui Bee.