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Welsom wins sprint, distance double BorneoPost Online | Borneo , Malaysia, Sarawak Daily News » Sports - New 2 Borneo

Welsom wins sprint, distance double

Posted: 22 Feb 2014 08:53 AM PST

by Philip Wong reporters@theborneopost.com. Posted on February 23, 2014, Sunday

SIBU: National swimmer Welsom Sim demonstated his dominance by shattering two records – the sprint 100m and distance 1,500m freestyle – on the first day of the Sarawak Age Group Swimming Championship at Sibu Bukit Lima Swimming Pool.

He rewrote the Boy's A 1,500m with a new record of 16:39.08, eclipsing the 26-year old time of 16:42.38 established by Huang Ying Tung of Sibu Amateur Swimming Association (Sasa) in 1988.

Welsom, representing Kota Samarahan Swimming Club (Kotas), then exploded from the starting block to lead from start to finish in the 100m freestyle  clocking 53.39" to beat the record of 54.06" set by Roydon Ong of Kuching Amateur Swimming Association (Kasa) in 2013.

The 18-year-old freestyle specialist, who has entered for 12 out of 16 events – he ruled out the butterfly events and 400 Individual Medley – was hungry for more in the next two days.

"It was a marvellous record and, hopefully, I can continue my powerful swim in the next two days to set more records,' he added.

Rising star Angela Chieng from Kotas also clocked a new time in Girl's A 800m freestyle when she rewrote her own record of 9:12.86 to beat the old time of 9:25.42 set last year.

Another Kotas star Tan Tying also signalled her arrival with a bang.

She won the Girl's B 800m freestyle with a new record of 9:39.28 to beat the old time of 9:40.50 set by Angela in 2012.

Sibu prodigy Nee Gui Ping also made his presence felt by taking the 100m butterfly title in 1:00.40 enroute to rewriting the decade-old record registered by Dieung Manggang of Sasa in 1996.

Nee, a butterfly specialists, was widely expected to smash all records in the butterfly events he was entered for yesterday and today.

Another Sibu swimming star, Alex Tiong Siew Hung  also had one record to his credit thus far.

He broke his own record in the Boy's A 200m breakstroke with a new time of 2:15.36. Alex had not been putting in serious training of late as he had sat for his SPM examination last year.

"Nevertheless, he is still eager to cause some ripples in the pool as indicated by his participation in 12 events," his mother said when interviewed.

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13 teams vie for two slots in Junior Davis Cup final qualifiers

Posted: 22 Feb 2014 08:50 AM PST

by Ting Tieng Hee. Posted on February 23, 2014, Sunday

KUCHING: The quest to earn two tickets to the Final Qualifying of the Junior Davis Cup by 13 teams will begin in earnest today as the players take to the courts at Sarawak Lawn Tennis Association (SLTA) Tennis Centre.

On Court 2, fourth seeds Lebanon will play Bangladesh and Sri Lanka face fifth seeds Vietnam in Group D in their opening matches.

Kyrgyzstan face Saudi Arabia in Group C while Iran will play last year's final qualifiers Yemen in Group B.

The other match is between Pakistan and United Arab Emirates in Group A.

As the tournament's top three seeds, Kazakhstan, Syria and Turkmenistan will only kick off their campaign on Monday as they are given byes.

According to SLTA president Patrick Liew, the response to this year's tournament was very encouraging as it attracted three more teams when compared to ten teams last year.

"It is an indication that Asia-Oceania Pre-Qualifying and Final Qualifying are getting more popular as the countries concerned are becoming more serious in developing their junior tennis.

"This is especially that players from China and Japan have already made it to the top 10 in the world and that has really served as an encouragement to the countries in the Asia-Oceania region," said Liew.

He is picking Kazakhstan as the team to watch because they have put in much efforts in their junior tennis development.

"Their impressive performance in the Junior Fed Cup and World Junior Team Competition (Boys) Pre-Qualifying is a clear result of their efforts to develop tennis," he said, adding that Syria and Lebanon have also improved.

Liew hoped that the presence of the teams here especially from the Arabian countries would have a positive impact on our junior players and their parents.

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Chinese still in winter sports ‘second tier’

Posted: 22 Feb 2014 08:48 AM PST

SOCHI, Russia: Chinese Olympic chiefs said yesterday they are satisfied with their team's haul of medals at the Sochi Games but admitted China still lags behind the top nations in winter sports.

China have so far won three golds and nine medals in total in Russia, down from 11 at the 2006 Turin Games and the same number in Vancouver four years later, where they won five golds.

The bulk of the success in Sochi came in short track speed skating but China also won a speed skating gold and two medals in aerials freestyle skiing.

The team's medal hopes were badly hit before the Games even started, when short track speed skater Wang Meng, who won three gold medals in 2010, pulled out with a broken ankle.

Despite the reduced medal haul, deputy chef de mission Xiao Tian said "we finished our goal", highlighting not just the medals won but progress in other sports such as men's curling, where the team finished fourth.

But he admitted China, bidding to host the 2022 Winter Olympics, was still in the "second tier" of winter sports.

"We need to keep a clear-headed view when we look at the distance between China and others," said Xiao. "We only have a short history of winter sports and the overall foundations are very weak." — AFP

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Rights groups urge India, Qatar action on migrant deaths

Posted: 22 Feb 2014 08:46 AM PST

NEW DELHI: India came under pressure Friday over the deaths of over 450 nationals in almost two years in Qatar, the host of the 2022 World Cup, with rights groups branding the figures as "very disturbing".

Amnesty International called on the Indian government to release more information about the deaths amid mounting criticism over safety and working conditions of migrants in Qatar's booming construction community.

The Indian embassy in Qatar said the number of deaths was "quite normal" given the large size of the Indian community in the gas-rich Gulf state, adding that most were by natural causes.

"Instead of simply saying that such deaths are normal, the Indian government should provide clearer and more transparent information," said Amnesty International India spokesman Nikhil Eapen.

"What we need to know is who these people were – how old they were and what work they were doing – and how they died."

In response to a Right to Information request filed by AFP, the Indian embassy gave figures detailing the number of deaths in 2012 and the first 11 months of 2013.

On average about 20 migrants died per month, peaking at 27 in August last year. There were 237 fatalities in 2012 and another 218 in 2013 up to December 5, according to the embassy figures.

The embassy did not give any details about the circumstances of the deaths, but the International Trade Union Confederation said the data showed an "exceptionally high mortality rate."

Gateway House, a Mumbai-based foreign policy think-tank, said the deaths were "very disturbing and an issue that the Indian government must be addressing seriously."

Human Rights Watch told AFP that the Qatar government must "take the deaths seriously and investigate them."

"All of these countries need to join together and form a united group to put pressure on Gulf countries to better protect their (migrants') rights and dignity," said HRW South Asia director Meenakshi Ganguly.

Most of the labourers in Qatar working on the new stadiums and vast infrastructure projects ahead of football's biggest tournament in the wealthy Gulf state are from South Asia.

Qatar this month revealed a set of guidelines aimed at protecting the rights of thousands of expatriate workers employed on its construction projects. — AFP

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Rooney signs blockbuster deal with Man United

Posted: 22 Feb 2014 08:44 AM PST

LONDON: Wayne Rooney pledged his long-term future to Manchester United on Friday after signing a blockbuster contract extension with the Premier League champions.

Rooney had just 18 months left on his previous deal and was a transfer target for Chelsea last year, sparking speculation he could leave at the end of this season, but the England striker has agreed to prolong his stay at Old Trafford until June 2019.

The new contract will reportedly pay the 28-year-old £300,000 ($498,840, 363,534 euros) a week, with Rooney also set to stay at United as a club ambassador when he eventually retires.

"Wayne Rooney has committed his future to Manchester United by signing a four-year contract extension, keeping him at the club until June 2019. Wayne will also become a club ambassador when he retires from the game," a statement on United's website announced.

Rooney, who had confirmed the news on his Twitter feed just before United's official announcement, admitted he was delighted to have finally signed the deal.

The former Everton star also said he is relishing the opportunity to inspire the next generation of United players in his role as one of the team's senior figures.

"I am made up to be staying at United. In August, I will have been at the club for 10 years and during that time I have played with some fantastic players and won everything that I hoped I would when I first signed," he said. "I now have the chance as one of the club's senior players to help the younger players coming through and to be a part of another great United team.

"The fans have always been a huge part of this club and the support they have given me since my debut against Fenerbahce has been amazing. I am very grateful to all United fans around the world for their continued support.

"I am convinced that this is the start of another successful chapter in Manchester United's history."

United manager David Moyes, who gave Rooney his professional debut during their time at Everton, was relieved to secure his striker's future and confirmed that several clubs had chased Rooney since he took over from Alex Ferguson last year.

Ferguson had revealed last season that Rooney asked for a transfer following a lengthy spell as a bit-part player under the Scot, who was said to be unhappy with Rooney's failure to keep himself match-fit.

That was the second time Rooney had apparently fallen out of love with life at United.

He also asked for a transfer and publicly questioned whether the club could match his ambitions in 2010, before changing his mind and agreeing to stay.

"I am thrilled that we have got Wayne Rooney to stay," Moyes said. "He has been fantastic. Everyone would want him in their team. "There were clubs who did want him. There were clubs who would have wanted him (had he not signed a new deal) but there was never going to be a chance he was going to leave Manchester United, certainly not on my watch."

Rooney's decision to stay with United is a major boost for a club enduring their worst season for years. Moyes has been unable to make a smooth transition from the Ferguson era, despite taking over a team which finished as English champions last season.

United are currently languishing in seventh place, 15 points behind leaders Chelsea and 11 adrift of fourth-placed Liverpool.

The prospect of missing out on Champions League action next season hasn't dissuaded Rooney from remaining loyal to United, who will hope the forward now goes on to establish himself as one of the club's all-time greats.

Rooney, who arrived from Everton in August 2004, has played 430 games for United, scoring 208 goals, a record which already puts him fourth in the club's all-time goalscorer list behind Jack Rowley (211), Denis Law (237) and Bobby Charlton (249). — AFP

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