(From left) Sheamus, Leora and Ethan are among the young swimmers making their debut for Sarawak at the Malaysia Games (Sukma) in Selangor.
KUCHING (Aug 16): They are still young enough to be worrying about schoolwork, but in a few days, Sheamus Heng Yi Chew, Ethan Kheng Hong Tan and Leora Eli Conus will be wearing Sarawak colours to take the plunge at the Malaysia Games (Sukma) in Selangor.
For the three teenagers, this will be their first experience at the Games, and each is looking forward to it in a different way.
At 14, Sheamus, a student from St Joseph’s Private Secondary School is already finding that balancing school and competitive swimming is challenging.
He admits managing his time between studies and training has not been easy but he is determined to give his best when he gets his chance at Sukma.
Sheamus will compete in three events and feels most confident in the 200m individual medley. He trains under coaches Frederick John and Li Zhong.
Leora, 15, who is of Malay and Swiss parentage, is still digesting the fact that she is actually going to Sukma.
“All this time I’ve only heard about Sukma, and now I get to see what it is,” said the Grade 10 student of International School Kuala Lumpur.
She will compete in the 50m butterfly, freestyle and backstroke, with the 50m butterfly being the event she feels most confident in.
Leora is also hoping her first Sukma debut will be a step towards bigger competitions.
She plans to continue swimming, improve her times and gain more experience, with the longer-term goal of representing Malaysia internationally one day.
“But right now, my focus is Sukma,” she said.
But school is not far from her mind, though.
Leora revealed that her academic workload is also increasing, making it important for her to find a balance between her studies and swimming.
She trains under head coaches Petra Tajul and Benjamin Ancel.
For Ethan, also 14, excitement comes with a little nervousness as he prepares for his first Sukma.
He savours the experience and wants to make the most of it while also enjoying the occasion with his teammates.
Ethan also trains under coaches Frederick John and Li Zhong.
The three are part of Sarawak’s 23-member swimming squad, comprising 12 boys and 11 girls.
The swimming competition will be held at the Pusat Akuatik Darul Ehsan (PADE) in Shah Alam from Aug 19 to 23.
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