Queenie steals show at MSSS meet

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WITH EASE: Jimmy Raymond of Bintulu clocked 56.19s to win the Boys U18 400m hurdles. — Photo by Tommy Ng

Queenie Ting

KUCHING: The national discus record was broken by 16-year-old Queenie Ting Kung Ni on the third day of the 41st Sarawak Schools Sports Council (MSSS) Track and Field Championship held at the Bintulu Stadium yesterday.

Queenie became the centre of attention in yesterday’s event after she threw a record distance of 40.99m with her fifth attempt in the Girls Under 18 competition.

Her mark surpassed the national record of 38.75m set by Sarawakian Phang Hua Mei in 2006 and also the MSSS record of 35.44m set by Ngu Mee Zing of Miri in 2009.

Queenie became the second Sarawak female athlete to have beaten the 40m mark.

Coming in second in the event was Loo Li Jun of Miri who registered 34.85m and the bronze went to Vanessa Amah whose throw was 25.33m.

Queenie’s coach, Thomas Ling Neng Thung said the first Sarawakian athlete to have thrown beyond the 40m mark was Lee Chiew Ha of Miri back in the 1980s.

“This is an amazing feat and I am very happy that Queenie can achieve the 40.99m mark after a lapse of 20 years and we have found an able replacement for Lee Chiew Ha,” he enthused.

 

Ling said Queenie was able to excel in the event because she had perfected her footwork which is very important in discus throwing.

The SMK Tinggi Sarikei had been involved in athletics since she was in primary six but started off with the shot putt but switched to discus under Ling’s tutelage.

Another new meet record was also created yesterday by Eric Tiong Ing Kuen of Sarikei who heaved the shot putt to a new mark of 14.25m in the Boys Under 14 contest.

He erased the old mark of 13.27m set by Ting Aik Hou of Miri in 2011 while Kuching’s Harold Chuo Earl Tang took the silver with 12.16m while Hii Zin Pin of Miri won the bronze with his best throw of 12.06m.

Sarikei athletes had a field day with their domination in the throw events having captured 13 more gold medals for a total of 21 gold, 12 silvers and six bronzes to leapfrog Kuching to second place in the standings with 223 points.

Miri are still in the driver’s seat with 320 points and a medal haul of 18 golds, 27 silvers and 18 bronzes.

Kuching came in third with 195 points and amassing 13 gold medals, 14 silvers and 10 bronzes while Sibu are placed fourth with 150.5 points, 10 golds, eight silvers and 10 bronzes.

In fifth position are host Bintulu who garnered 137 points after bagging five golds, six silvers and 14 bronzes.

They are followed by Samarahan (93 points), Kapit (46), Limbang (45), Sri Aman (32) and in last place are Mukah who have yet to win a gold but have three silvers and three bronzes in their bag, and 26.5 points.