By Wilfred Pilo
KUCHING, May 26: Mohd Hakimi Haiqal of Izrime Bike won the 8th edition of the Samarahan Bike Challenge 2024 Men Open category after finishing an eight-lap race of 6km per lap with the time of one hour, nine minutes, and 57 seconds held in the vicinity of the Kota Samarahan Summer Mall.
Mohd Hakimi collected his winning cash prize of RM1,500 from Minister of Youth, Sports, and Entrepreneur Development Sarawak Dato Sri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah, who urged the organiser to keep up with their professionalism in managing the event with hopes of it becoming one of the biggest bike challenges in Sarawak.
Abdul Karim pointed out that when experienced riders who had competed in well-organised races elsewhere could see that the organisers were capable and professional, they had no second thoughts about coming to such an event in Sarawak.
“As we could see, this event is getting bigger each year, and this is good for the athletes involved,” he said in his remarks before officiating the closing ceremony of the event and its prize-giving ceremony at Kota Samarahan Summer Mall today.
Abdul Karim commended the coordination of various government agencies and the organiser in making the event better each year, especially in aspects of logistics, accommodations, and technical capabilities.
“This kind of management will able to boost this bike competition to another level, and this could attract enthusiastic professional riders.
“This is the type of sports management that we hope our locals could do and the Sarawak government would support for the good of sports in the State,” he said.
The first runner-up in the men’s open category of Samarahan Bike Challenge 2024 was won by SL Cycling Team cyclist Muhammad Afiq Iskandar Hasyim with a prize money of RM1,000, while the second runner-up was won by the PDRM-G Team cyclist Muhammad Elmi Jumari and prize money of RM700.
It attracted more than 200 participants, who were comprised of experienced and new talented riders from Peninsular Malaysia, Indonesia, and Sarawak.
This year’s race also includes the Men Sarawak Open Category, Men and Women Category, and Youth and Boys Category.
Ministry of Tourism, Creative Industry, And Performance Arts Sarawak permanent secretary Datu Sherrina Binti Hussaini; Samarahan Resident cum Samarahan Bike Challenge 2024 Organising chairman and advisory Mohamad Irwan Bahari Bujang; Kota Samarahan police chief DSP Jaimi Husin; and Kota Samarahan Summer Mall managing director Dato Lee Chee Fui were present. — DayakDaily
