By Tedong Rantayy
MIRI, May 27: The Malaysia Open 2024 swimming competition held from May 23 to 26 at National Aquatics Centre, KL Sports City, witnessed an impressive performance by four young swimmers from Sarawak.
Hector Ho Rze Jun, Nuri Saadan Khaulid, Clair Lau Yu Rong, and Bong Rui Jie showcased their exceptional skills, achieving personal bests and clinching podium finishes, boosting their chances of qualifying for the 2024 Malaysia Games (Sukma) in August.
Competing against 21 teams, including both state and international participants, the Sarawak swimmers delivered noteworthy performances, bringing pride to their home state.
Ho emerged as a standout performer, clinching second place in the 50m breaststroke with a time of 29.35 seconds. This not only earned him a silver medal but also shattered his previous personal best of 29.88 seconds. His stellar performance has secured him a spot in both Sukma 2024 and the SEA Age Group Championships 2024 in Thailand.
In addition to his individual success, Ho helped Sarawak’s relay team to secure third place in the 4×100 medley relay. He also set new personal records in the 100m freestyle (54.37 seconds, down from 55.60) and the 100m breaststroke (1:05.34, down from 1:07).
Lau shone in the relay events, helping the Sarawak team secure a second-place finish in the 4×200 freestyle relay. Her performance was instrumental in bringing the silver medal home, further solidifying her reputation as a key team player.
Nuri Saadan made significant strides by breaking his personal records across multiple events:
– 50m backstroke: 29.52 seconds (previously 30.42)
– 50m breaststroke: 30.87 seconds (previously 31.50)
– 50m freestyle: 25.43 seconds (previously 25.67)
Nuri Saadan’s achievements underscore his rapid improvement and potential for future success.
Bong showcased his versatility and endurance, breaking personal records in several events:
– 100m freestyle: 55.31 seconds (previously 56.79)
– 200m freestyle: 2:04.79 (previously 2:06.52)
– 200m individual medley: 2:26.80 (previously 2:31.29)
– 400m freestyle: 4:27.02 (previously 4:36.08)
– 50m freestyle: 25.97 seconds (previously 26.58)
In addition to these impressive performances, Ethan Ethanael Lim Churn was awarded the Best Boy of Hope from the Sports Award (Ministry of Education), KPM-MSSM-Milo 2023, receiving a cash prize of RM2,000 and a trophy.
Lim’s accolades include setting two records, winning a best boy trophy, securing six gold medals, two silver medals, one relay gold, two relay silvers, and one relay bronze.
He has also qualified for the SEA Age Group Championships in Category B during the Malaysia Invitational Age Group 2024 swimming competition. — DayakDaily
