KUALA LUMPUR – Sabah Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Ellron Alfred Angin has his fingers crossed that Sabah would be able to achieve their 40-gold-medal target in the ongoing 20th Malaysia Games (Sukma).
Ellron appeared to be encouraged after one week of competition, saying the state contingent are “on the right track” in their quest for gold medals in the country’s premier multi-sport event.
Sabah’s official medal tally as of 11.30am today stands at 13 golds, 12 silvers, and 12 bronzes and they occupy second place in the overall standings.
“We are on the right track, but anything can happen because other teams too have conducted their preparation.
“We have high hopes that we will be able to achieve our (40-gold-medal) target,” said Ellron today.
The first week of Sukma competition saw Sabah surpass their medal targets for athletics, wushu, and karate.
In athletics, the state contingent won seven gold medals to better their target by two, courtesy of Andre Anura Anuar (men’s long jump and triple jump), Farrell Glenn Felix Jurus (men’s high jump), Chelsea Cassiopea Evali Bopulas (women’s 400m), Hizilawanty Jamain (women’s 800m), Benedict Ian Gawok (men’s 110m hurdles), and the women’s 4x100m team (Nur Aishah Rofina Aling, Chelsea, Patronella Lisong, Feova Lim, Esther Joanne Ailos, and Camellia Jasten).
In wushu, the state team performed above expectations in the men’s sanda events by nabbing two golds despite having aimed for a single bronze medal. The gold medallists were Muhammad Hanif Abdullah (-56kg) and Muhammad Akid Azlan (-60kg).
Karate also proved to be a fruitful event for the Sabah contingent, contributing three golds – one more than the target. In addition, Sabah also emerged as Sukma overall winners in karate.
The gold medal winners were Amirah Syahirah Azlan (women’s individual -68kg kumite), men’s team kata (Mohd Haznil Henry, Mohd Azhad Haziq Henry, and Clevelence Carlos) and women’s team kumite (Amirah, Pressy Misty Philip, Leong Jia Chii, and Michell Michelin Linus).
The other gold medal was from bowling with Nevern Netaneel Marcellinus winning the men’s singles late yesterday. – The Borneo Post, September 19, 2022
