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Good start for Crocs in Malaysia Cup BorneoPost Online | Borneo , Malaysia, Sarawak Daily News » Sports - New 2 Borneo

Good start for Crocs in Malaysia Cup

Posted: 15 Aug 2014 11:57 AM PDT

by Saiful Bahari, reporters@theborneopost.com. Posted on August 16, 2014, Saturday

KUCHING: Sarawak made a good start to their Malaysia Cup campaign after scoring a vital 3-2 win over Terengganu at Stadium Negeri on Thursday night despite the absence of its two key import players Muamer Salibasic and Hassan Muhammad.

According to coach Robert Alberts, Terengganu were a better side when compared to the Crocs as the homesters seemed yet to hit the rhythm for the Malaysia Cup campaign after returning from a tour in Indonesia last month.

"The players looked tired and not alert but they capitalised on the mistakes committed by the visiting team who were slow into returning to defence. We won because we made use of their weakness," Alberts told reporters after the match.

He said Gabor Gyepes had finally started his first competitive match after three months of nursing his injury and played calmly.

"He was stable and we will need to give him time to return to his peak performance," said Alberts.

Describing the match as a fantastic game with great goals, the Dutchman however said both goals scored by Terengganu in the second half were easy goals.

"Sani made tremendous saves during the match and I believe that he will show a strong performance for this competition," he added.

When asked on the status of Hassan, Alberts refused to comment the matter, saying that only the announcement will only be made by the Football Association of Sarawak (FAS) management.

Sarawak will be heading to Ipoh next to play against Perak on Aug 20.

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Ting wins Hii King Leng Sports Volunteer Extraordinaire award

Posted: 15 Aug 2014 10:05 AM PDT

SIBU: Outstanding sports leader Ting Siew Nguong from Sibu was picked the winner of the HKL Sports Volunteer Extraordinaire award during the selection committee meeting held here recently.

The award carries a prize money of RM1,500 cash plus a gold-plated commemorative medal.

Ting was picked among the five candidates, including two each from Kuching and Miri, who were nominated for the sports award which was under a different category of the Hii King Leng (HKL) Sports Scholarship Fund.

The fund, initiated by prominent sports personality Dr Gregory Hii Sui Cheng, was aimed at giving recognition to the outstanding and deserving sports personalities or volunteers who have contributed substantially and significantly towards the development of sports in Sarawak.

They could include managers, coaches, leaders or even financiers who had been running the organisations and working tirelessly behind the scene to ensure that Sarawak stay in the forefront in its pursuit for sports glory.

Hii said the fund was also made possible with new donation coming from his brother, Hii Sui Ann.

Ting was the Sarawak State School's Athletic Technical Committee chairman since 1997 until present day and had led the state contingent to victory in the Malaysian Schools Sports Council (MSSM) Track and Field Championships for a record 15 times.

Since his appointment, Sarawak had unbelievably won the MSSM Track and Field Championship from 1997 to 1999, 2002 to 2008 and 2010 to 2014.

At the same time, he is also the secretary of Sibu Amateur Athletic Association and Sibu Basketball Association.

Ting is also the first Sarawak athletic coach to bring four athletics to represent Malaysia in the Asian Schools Cross Country Championship in Ulan Bator, Mongolia in 2012 where they returned with the overall third placing in the girls category.

In 1998, Ting was awarded the 'Kebesaran Negri Bintang Sarawak' (BBS) by the state government for his excellent service in the education sector.

Meanwhile, for the HKL Top Sports Star Awards 2014, Hii said they had picked a total of 17 recipients out of 24 entrants from throughout the state.

The award carries a prize money of RM600, and for two year, plus a gold-plated commemorative medal.

The athletes are Queenie Ting Kung Ni and Grace Wong Xiu Mei from SMK Tinggi Sarikei, Cindy Sui Yea Zhen from SMK Methodist Sibu, Shirley Lau Kho Ee from SMK Bandar Sibu, Ngu Jiung Jing and Nee Gui Ping from SMK Chung Hua Sibu, Quek Lee Yong and Norris Foo from State Sports School SMK Tabuan Jaya, Lucas Chieng Tiew Lik from SMK Sacred Heart, Winston Sai, Lau Jik Sing, Wong Jing Huei, Wong Kuang Won, Eric Tiong, Yii Tiu Hu, Wong Xiao Jing and Jenny La from SMK Tong Hua Meradong.

Hii said the other seven athletes were not successful as they failed to meet the criteria on their academic performance which required a candidate to pass all subjects with at least 50 per cent of subjects scoring a grade B or above.

However, in view of the difficulty of the candidates to obtain good academic results, Hii said the committee had decided to lower the minimal requirements for academic achievement for next year's edition.

From 2015 onwards, an athlete is only required to achieve five credit passes for SPM examinations.

For those who are assessed internally (like Form 1 and Form 2 students), he or she needs just to achieve credit passes in all the subjects sat.

Hii encouraged unsuccessful candidates to resubmit their entries for next year's award before June 15, 2015.

They can download the application forms from hklsportsscholarship.blogspot.com

Meanwhile, Hii said the selection committee will fix a date next month for the awards to be presented to the recipients.

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Cleverley expects special start to van Gaal era as Premier League begins

Posted: 15 Aug 2014 10:04 AM PDT

MANCHESTER, United Kingdom: Manchester United midfielder Tom Cleverley believes Louis van Gaal's side will provide an early glimpse of their new manager's swaggering style in the Premier League opener against Swansea today.

United kick off the domestic campaign seeking to drastically improve on last season's dismal campaign and Cleverley is confident his team will make a fast start at Old Trafford.

Van Gaal has been charged with clearing up the mess left by his predecessor David Moyes, who was sacked as United slumped to seventh place – their lowest ever finish in Premier League history and their worst since 1990.

Former Barcelona and Bayern Munich boss Van Gaal, who led the Netherlands to the recent World Cup semi-finals, will get his first taste of the Premier League this weekend and Cleverley claims United are ready to show the benefits of the Dutchman's work on the training ground.

"It's very much pass and move, always asking for the ball," Cleverley said.

"And the manager is so clear that there can be no questions asked from our point of view.

"We know exactly what he wants and are confident that if we do what he wants on the pitch, we'll win.

"It'll be the manager's first competitive game and I'm sure it'll be a special atmosphere."

Cleverley was targeted by a section of the United supporters last season as he bore the brunt of some of the team's failings under Moyes.

And he claims there is a determination in the United squad to make amends, starting with the visit of Garry Monk's side.

"We can't wait to get going against Swansea and look to put right the wrongs from last year," Cleverley added.

"This club has always been renowned for bouncing back from sticky patches and that's one of the reasons it's so loved around the world.

"The game is at home and I'm sure the fans will be the same as us – raring to go." — AFP

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246 exponents for Borneo International Martial Arts Championship

Posted: 15 Aug 2014 10:03 AM PDT

SIBU: A total of 246 wushu exponents from throughout the country, including those from Brunei and Indonesia, will descend here today to compete in the two-day 6th edition of the Borneo International Martial Arts Championship at SMK Sacred Heart School.

Organised jointly by Sibu Martial Arts (Gunshu) Association (SMAA) and Sarawak Chengshitaijiquan Association, it is aimed at promoting and popularising wushu among the people in Borneo.

SMAA chief coach Gilbert Wong was happy with the number of participants coming from 16 teams, including the Wushu Federation of Brunei Darussalam and Indonesia East Java.

The other participating teams included Low Kim Fun Taiji Class and Zen Wushu Academy from Johor and Persatuan Taijiquan from Selangor.

The local teams included Dongbeibei Taiji Wushu Academy, CMAA, SMAA, Jing Ying Dragon and Lion Dance Association, SMK Sacred Heart, Miri Wushu Association, Chinese Culture Art Association Peng Yang, SMk Tinggi Sarikei and SMK Deshon Sibu.

"This is the first time that we have attracted so many outstation teams.

"With their keen participation, we believe this will upgrade the championship to a higher level," he added.

SMC chairman Datuk Tiong Thai King is expected to officiate the opening at 2pm today with Sibu United Chinese Association president Ting Huat Chie to grace the closing ceremony at 3pm tomorrow.

The winners are expected to get their prizes at a special dinner celebration to be held at Li Hua Hotel on Sunday at 7pm.

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Schools to do battle at Kotas swim meet

Posted: 15 Aug 2014 10:02 AM PDT

KUCHING: Over 30 schools from across Kuching and Samarahan Divisions will compete in Kota Samarahan Amateur Swimming Association's (Kotas) annual inter-school swimming meet at the Aquatic Centre of Excellence in Kuching next month.

The 4th Samarahan-Kuching Divisions Inter-School Swimming Championship will see both primary and secondary schools striving for honours over the weekend of September 27-28.

This competition will be officially opened by Kota Samarahan Amateur Swimming Association (Kotas) special advisor Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah who also sponsored the perpetual trophies.

SMK Batu Lintang will be defending their unbeaten record as the champion secondary school while SJK Chung Hua No.2 will be trying to hold on to the champion primary school trophy after wresting it from SJK Chung Hua No. 5 last year.

Strong teams are also expected from SMK Kuching High, Tunku Putra School and Lodge School.

Kotas president Yii Chee Sing said the association was anticipating a highly competitive meet as each year participation has grown.

"We have already confirmed that several Sukma swimmers will be competing for their respective schools and also, perhaps more importantly, we will have a number of swimmers entering in their first ever competition," he noted.

"This augurs well in fulfilling our objective to promote the sport and get more kids in swimming," he said.

The inter-school event aims to encourage local youth to pursue an active lifestyle, to foster inter-action between school children as well as to enhance Sarawak's strength in swimming.

"Kotas is still a relatively new swimming association but we have come a long way in a short time and we are proud that this championship is already in its fourth year," noted Yii.

Kotas are now the premier swimming association in Sarawak with overall victories at the most recent editions of the two major state-wide swimming meets, the Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Wong Soon Kai Inter-Club Swimming Championships late last year and the Sarawak Age Group Swimming championships in February this year.

Its swimmers train six days per week at Kelab Golf Sarawak in Petra Jaya, Kuching. The association welcomes children aged between six and ten who have gained competency in at least two strokes and are keen to become competitive swimmers.

All swimmers must meet attendance and time targets to maintain their places in the squads.

"We want to help Sarawak re-build its superiority in aquatic sports and providing swimmers more opportunities to race is essential to achieving this," said Yii.

"Organising such meets brings wide spread benefits to so many children, but it does incur considerable expenses for Kotas and as such we are appealing for corporate sponsors.

"Over the past three years it has been heartening to see local companies willing to give back to the community by funding non-profit organisations like ours, hence enabling us to run such competitions and offer talented children swimming coaching up to an elite level," he added.

"We are also very grateful Datuk Abdul Karim's ongoing encouragement of Kotas' growth and well as many of the other local YBs who have supported this beneficial community event," said Yii.

The advancement of swimming is particularly timely with Sarawak due to host Sukma 2016 and the state keen to retain its reputation as a powerhouse of aquatic sports.

"More competitions will motivate young swimmers to train harder and strive to improve.

"We may unearth some exciting new talent in the pool during this championship but even if we don't, it is always good to see students involved in activities that build a healthy body and mind," said Yii.

The inter-school meet will see swimmers compete in five age groups from eight years of age and below up to 18 years of age.

Events will include the four swimming stroke disciplines as well as the much-anticipated inter-school relays.

"This year, the relays will be contested in two categories: primary schools and secondary schools," said Yii.

Apart from the champion primary and secondary schools trophies, prizes will also be awarded for the best girl and boy swimmers in their respective age categories.

Several local swimming stars are expected to spearhead their respective school teams.

All eyes will also be on National Age Group 2014 multiple gold medalist Hii Puong Wei who is likely to dominate the Boys U10 category.

The SJK Chung Hua Batu 4.5 school boy won 10 national level medals earlier in the year, including five gold medals.

Other swimmers to watch out for will be Sukma swimmers Tan Tyng from Chung Hua Middle School No.1, Angela Chieng and Anson Go from SMK Batu Lintang and Mandy Teo of SMK Kuching High who will be among the hot favourites for 'best swimmer' awards in their respective age groups.

Milo (Nestle) will be sponsoring the medals and all swimmers will also receive a certificate of participation.

Enquiries on the event can be directed to Kotas by contacting the organising secretaries Alice Kwon at 013-8183949 or Jessielynn Lam at 016-8782494.

Entry forms can be downloaded from the Kotas website at www.kotasswimming.com.

Entries close on August 22.

"We are eagerly anticipating some exciting swimming action," said Yii.

"We welcome every school to enter their students and we invite parents and teachers to bring along children and inspire them to get involved in the great sport of swimming," he added.

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Tay Motor check into last four

Posted: 15 Aug 2014 10:01 AM PDT

by Ting Tieng Hee, reporters@theborneopost.com. Posted on August 16, 2014, Saturday

KUCHING: Tay Motor joined Lord Tiger A in the semi-finals of the men's competition of the Kuching Division Men's and Women's Basketball Championship at Kota Sentosa Basketball Association stadium Thursday night when they edged D Stranger Blue 58-56.

It was Tay Motor's third straight win in the championship after beating HW Service 67-59 in the opener and Lord Tiger B 80-66 in the second match.

In Thursday's match, D Stranger Blue had led Tay Motor 14-12 in the first quarter before the lead changed hands, with Tay Motor taking over a one-point lead (30-29) at half-time.

D Stranger Blue regained the lead 46-45 and end of third quarter and were just unlucky in the dying seconds of the final quarter where they failed to convert two penalty throws to force play into overtime.

In another Group B match, D Stranger Red beat Kryptonite (Saba) 80-61 to also register their third win and boost their chances of making the last four.

They will now tussle for the top spot with Lord Tiger A.

Lord Tiger A, who are also playing in the same group, had virtually secured their semi-final ticket after they won three matches, beating Tay Motor (Maxxis) 72-56, Kryptonite 74-54 and D Stranger Blue 76-62.

Meanwhile, traditional powerhouse Boon Ting Food Products slumped to their
second consecutive defeat after they lost 56-64 to GT Industries in the four-team women's competition.

Leading the table standings are Central Light Industries who have collected three points from one win and one loss, followed by D Stranger with two points from one win and GT Industries also with two points.

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