The top swimmers in a photo-call with Ahmad Rodzli (back row, centre), with Yeo on his right and Kong, his left. At far right is Lisa.
KUCHING (Feb 12): The Sarawak Sports Corporation (SSC) is committed to developing swimming at the grassroots level in Sarawak.
This, said its sports development division manager Ahmad Rodzli Hashim, was reflected in the organisation of the first SSC Swim Series last year.
“With collaboration of Amateur Swimming Association of Sarawak (Asas), SSC is running this event to encourage participation from all grassroots individual swimmers.
“It’s from here that we hope to unearth more talented swimmers who can be groomed into becoming future champions of Sarawak, and we want to revive our glory days,” he said at the closing of the final leg of the SSC Swim Series at Pandelela Rinong Aquatic Centre in Petra Jaya here today.
Officials from SSC and the associations, the guests and the parents join the junior swimmers and their coaches in a group photo.
The first leg was held in Kuching at the same venue last year, from Jan 22 to 23, under the collaboration between Asas and Kuching Amateur Swimming Association (Kasa); while the second leg was run in Sibu from July 16 to 17, under collaboration with Sibu Amateur Swimming Association (Sasa).
In this final leg, Kasa swimmers dominated the competition where they clinched five out of 10 ‘Best Swimmer’s Awards’.
Bryant Lee Khai Ping and Jocelyn Lam made a Kasa clean sweep of Boys/Girls Group 1 (Age 18-23), having gained 123 and 126 points, respectively.
Jeff Chua Yu Yang and Magdalene Lau Ing Siew did the same for Kasa by capturing the Best Boy and Best Girl awards in Group 2 (Age 15-17), with 224 and 270 points, respectively; while Braylon Lee Khai Xu was the Best Boy in Group 5 (Age 6-8) after accumulating 66 points.
Power Aquatic Swimming Club (PASC) also performed well. They bagged four awards through Bibienne Ong Shu Yi in Group 3 (Girl Age 12-14) with 172 points; Cayden Mineve Chin and Chereen Ngo Yirui (Group 4 – Age 9-11) Best Boy and Best Girl awards, with 150 and 159 points, respectively; and Arshabel Chong Jiin Sii (Group 5 – Girl Age 6-8) with 61 points.
The ‘Best Swimmer Award’ also went to Darren Leong Yi Chen of Kota Samarahan Amateur Swimming Association (Kotas) who collected 227 points from the Group 3 (Boys Age 12-14).
Asas vice-president Alice Kwon who is also the organising chairperson, Asas secretary Anthony Kong, Kasa president Kelvin Yeo and SSC sports development officer Lisa Ludong also attended the closing ceremony for the two-day meet, which played host to 169 swimmers from Kuching, Sibu, Bintulu and Miri.