Page 297 - The Guide To Sarawak

THE GUIDE TO SARAWAK 295
Mohd Azlan Iskandar
athletes (although some definitely have), yet
many have distinguished themselves in other ways, by putting Sarawak on the map through the hosting of international competitions, or by making other significant contributions to their sport.
Aquatics
The Amateur Swimming Association of Sarawak, led by President Larry Sng and Honorary Secretary Paul Lim, faces some of the toughest challenges in Malaysian sport; because of Sarawak’s vast size,
its athletes have to train
in five different centres throughout the state,
with only occasional centralized training sessions. Nevertheless they have
positioned Sarawak as one of the leading states for swimming in Malaysia, and have produced a whole
new generation of current and future world-beaters, including 2012 Olympic Bronze Medallist Pandelela Rinong Pamg and Bryan Nickson Lomas (diving), and
Daniel Bego and Hii Siew Siew (swimming).
Bowling
Like the swimmers
and divers, bowlers in Sarawak face challenges
of distance and lack of facilities outside major urban centres. The Amateur Bowling Association of Sarawak committee, led
by President Sunny Si and Honorary Secretary Robert Lu, set up effective youth scouting programmes and introduced a professional coaching system. The State has subsequently become the strongest at SUKMA’s bowling events in recent years, as well as producing a silver medal winner Jacqueline Sijore, at the 2011 Asian Championship. As a result the association plans to focus less on national age-group events such
as Sukma in its quest to produce more players of international standard.
Football
The Football Association
of Sarawak (FAS) runs
the State Team, currently playing in the Malaysian Premier League. The Bujang Senang or Crocodiles,
were 1997 Malaysian Super League Champions, 1992 FA Cup Winners and 1998 Malaysian Charity Shield Winners. The FAS has also distinguished itself as host for the Sarawakian legs of the FIFA U-20 World Cup, held in Malaysia in 1997. The Sarawak legs were
Loh Jack Chang