By Karen Bong
KUCHING, Aug 20: Cheers erupted, a backflip punctuated the air, and the lively tune of ‘Bekikis Bulu Betis’ echoed through the Indoor Stadium as the Sarawak Taekwondo Squad wrapped up their 21st SUKMA 2024 campaign on a high note, emerging as the overall champion with an impressive haul of 11 gold, four silver, and four bronze medals.
The team’s victorious campaign, totalling 19 medals, was a historic moment for Sarawak, celebrated with exuberant joy in the prestigious biennial national games.
Exceeding their target of seven golds, the team shattered their previous Sukma 2016 record of eight golds.
This final push for medals was highlighted by Maple Law Tsi Eun’s silver in the women’s 53kg category, while Allexandre Axcell Juntan secured bronze in the men’s 63kg category.
On the final day of taekwondo game, Perlis claimed second position with five golds, three silvers, and four bronzes, while Terengganu secured third place with three golds, two silvers, and three bronzes.
Sarawak Taekwondo team manager Reza Rizvy expressed immense pride in the team’s performance, calling it their best tournament to date and setting a high standard for Sarawak in future games.
“We never stopped training, and this success is a testament not only to the dedication of our athletes but also to the tireless efforts of our coaches and management team. Many of our athletes have been with the squad since they were young, consistently training over the years. Their potential is immense, and this achievement is a reflection of that,” he remarked.
Reza emphasised the importance of spirit and sportsmanship, noting that every athlete gave their best, which is what truly matters.
“We are happy and satisfied with the team’s achievements. We know we have athletes with tremendous potential, and we are confident in their future success. But in all competitions, some will win, and some will lose,” he added.
Reza extended his gratitude to the Ministry of Youth, Sports, and Entrepreneur Development, its Minister Dato Sri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah, Deputy Minister Dato Gerald Rentap Jabu, Taekwondo Malaysia and Sarawak Taekwondo Association president Azizul Annuar Adenan Satem, Sarawak Sports Council, and the Malaysia National Sports Council for their unwavering support.
“Taekwondo Sarawak is where it is today thanks to the programmes and support provided over the years,” he noted.
Despite the impressive achievements, Sarawak’s coach from Thailand, Master Taweesilp Khamnuan, who has been with the team for four years, believes there is still room for improvement.
“I’m pleased with their performance, but I know they can excel further in future competitions. We’ll strive to do even better in the next Sukma,” he emphasised.
Meanwhile, Randy Owen Augustine Linggi emerged as the standout athlete, earning three gold medals in the men’s recognised individual event, the men’s recognised team event (alongside Fedealis Kom Twin and Mohd Isshahril Mazlan), and the mixed freestyle open team event (with Fedealis Kom Twin and Ken Haw Chin), as well as a silver in the mixed recognised pair event with Seah Jing Ying.
Additional gold medals were won in the women’s recognised team event (Farah Nabilla Maddarus, Siti Yusriyyah Zailani, and Willemien Lai Lini), mixed freestyle mixed pair event (Farah Nabilla and Fidealis), women’s freestyle individual event (Zara Nur Zafirah Mohd Yusof), men’s 87kg (Aj Yang Yi Ong), women’s 73kg (Puteri Durratun Zulaikha Samat), men’s +87kg (Mohamad Zulhafiz Zulhadi), and women’s +73kg (Pretty Amisha Amanda Francesca).
Silver medals were also earned by Joseph Wong Shou Ho in the men’s -68kg event and Christine Ying Zhen Li in the women’s -67kg event.
Bronze medals were secured by Willemien Lai Lini in the women’s recognised individual event, Eileen Li Ching Chang in the women’s -57kg event, and Soon Hian Chai in the men’s -80kg event.
Sarawak’s exceptional performance at the 21st Sukma 2024 not only set new records but also inspired confidence for the future, as the team continues to build on their success and strive for even greater achievements. — DayakDaily
