Liana (right) celebrates with teammates (from left) Erine, Rita and Mordiana after winning the 4x100m relay.
KUCHING: Former national athlete Liana Liew Sze Kiuk is eyeing more success after capturing three gold and two bronze medals at the Asia Pacific Masters Games in Penang from Sept 7 to 15.
The 47-year-old staff of Telekom Malaysia Batu Lintang branch, Kuching bagged the gold in the women’s (45 years above) high jump and shot put as well as the 4x100m relay with Sabahans Erine Sinuel and Mordiana Abdullah, and Rita Thong from Perak.
Liew picked up bronzes in the long jump and 80m hurdles.
“I joined the Asia Pacific Masters Games when I got to know of this competition through Facebook and the organisers were promoting it at the Malaysian Masters Athletics Championship in Kuching last year.
“Many friends and relatives encouraged me to join so I self-sponsored myself in the meet,” said the former student of Chung Hua Middle School No.1.
Liew also won three golds (long jump, discus and shot put) and two silvers (100m and 4x100m relay) at the Sarawak Stadium during the Malaysian Masters.
She will be going for the Malaysian Masters Track and Field Championship at Universiti Malaya in Kuala Lumpur from Oct 13 to 14 where she will take part in the long jump, high jump, shot put and discus events.
“I am hoping that the State government through the Youth and Sports ministry or the Sarawak State Sports Council can offer me some form of assistance as I will be representing Sarawak,” said Liew.
She is also hoping that the state government can assist veteran athletes like her by providing facilities where they can do their training.
“The Jubilee Ground can be one of the suitable training venues for athletes if the facilities are upgraded and made more accessible to the athletes, young and old.”
Currently, Liew is training with Tunku Putra International coach Azyzy Ahmad every Tuesday, Thursday and Friday.
An active member of the City Joggers Club which she joined four years ago, Liew is a regular participant of the club’s Thursday night run.
To keep fit, she also takes part in runs, charity joggerthon and even completed a full marathon (42km) in the Kuching Marathon in 2016.
Back in her heydays, Liew was a three-time national champion in heptathlon in the Malaysian Open (1993-1995).
She represented Malaysia and finished fifth in the heptathlon in the 1993 SEA Games.
“My most memorable moments were in 1992 where I won the women’s 100m hurdles with a new record.
“Sarawak were the Sukma champions that year,” said Liew as she recalled her illustrious career.
She wants to keep active in athletics and is inspired by the participants of the Malaysian Masters.
“Some of the veterans are even over 80 years old and still actively competing in Masters competitions and why not younger people like us? They are still very strong and can run fast and that’s really an inspiration,” added Liew.
She is also looking forward to competing in the Asia Masters Athletics Championships that will be hosted by Sarawak in Kuching next year.
“I also hope that our athletes can work and train very hard to get good results. Let’s return Sarawak to its glory days,” she said.