The Sarawak team members celebrate their achievement at the end of the competition. From back right are Jong, Lydiana, Bong, Chai, and Goh.
KUCHING (March 5): Sarawak wushu got off to a good start for the year with Wushu Federation of Sarawak (WFS) junior development programme athletes enjoying a fruitful outing at the National Talent Carnival Series I Selangor in Shah Alam recently.
The 13-member team managed by WFS secretary Jong Chin Wei bagged four gold, seven silver, and three bronze medals, as well as managed five fourth placings to emerge fourth overall in the 13-team wushu competition.
Johor were the overall champions with nine gold, three silver, and four bronze, followed by Negeri Sembilan (7-7-3) and Melaka (5-4-3) in second and third positions respectively.
“Despite of the very short notice given by the organisers on the championship and given that our athletes were still celebrating their Chinese New Year holidays, we still managed to capture four golds,” Jong told The Borneo Post when contacted today.
“This is really a very good motivation and good start to Sarawak Wushu in 2024 and we were only one gold behind the nation’s strong wushu state Melaka. We also beat Kuala Lumpur and Penang, who usually fielded strong teams from their development programmes in the national meets.”
Jong, who is also Jun Wei Bintulu Wushu Club president, said the showing by the young athletes was a positive sign that Sarawak is on par with other strong states.
“The majority of the team are first-timers in a national competition and I am glad that they are all doing very well,” he added.
Jun Wei Bintulu Wushu Club, represented by eight athletes, led the medal charge with Sarawak’s best performer John Phang securing a silver in Boys Group B nanquan with 7.970 points and 8.290 points for fourth place in Boys Group B nangun. Among all his teammates, he scored the highest marks in his events.
Phang is the first state wushu athlete produced in Bintulu and recently transferred to Kuching for training with the state elite squad under coach Diana Bong.
Sarawak’s other gold medals were contributed by Yong Jing Xing (Jun Wei) in Boys C taijijian, Jayson Chong (Kuching Elite Wushu Club) in Boys Group C changquan and Hong Wu Kang (Kuching Elite) in Boys B changquan.
Others who won silver medals were Angel Wong (Jun Wei) in Girls Group B nanquan, Ellie Sia (Jun Wei) Girls Group C nanquan, Ashly Ong (Jun Lun) in Girls Group C jianshu, Janessa Chong (Kuching Elite) in Girls Group D qiangshu, Tracy Tiang (Jun Wei) in Girls B gunshu, and Yong Jing Xing (Jun Wei) in Boys Group C taijijian.
The bronze medallists were Angel Wong (Girls Group B nangun), Ellie Sia (Girls Group B nangun), and Kuching Elite’s Cherlyn Hong (Girls Group B qiangshu).
Other members of the Sarawak team were Jayden Kho (Jun Wei), who finished 10th in both Boys Group B nanquan and nangun, and Ashlynn Tou (Jun Wei) who was fifth in Girls 24-style taijijquan and placed sixth in 32-style taijijian.
The Sarawak team was accompanied by coaches Bong, Ronan Chai, judge Goh Swee Li and Sarawak State Sports Council sports development officer Lydiana Esman.
