SERIAN: The third edition of the Bung Sadung Climbathon Trail Challenge 2022 saw 297 participants trekking through the trail of Mount Sadung after two years pause due to COVID-19.
Among the categories competed are 10km for Men’s and Women’s Open, 6km for Boys and Girls’ Junior and also 6km for both Men’s and Women’s Veterans.
Minister of Education, Innovation and Talent Development Datuk Roland Sagah Wee Inn noted that there’s an increase in the number of participants from 2019 and 2018 where both years recorded 168 and 106 participants respectively.
The annual event organised by the Serian District Council and the Youth, Sports and Recreation Bureau of Village Development and Security Committee (JKKK) Kampung Bunga, is aimed at realising the motto of ‘Melahirkan Masyarakat Cemerlang, Gemilang dan Terbilang’ (towards producing excellent and popular community).
According to Sagah, activities that involve the community regardless of age, race, religion or background will foster healthy lifestyle practices and thus will attract the interest of the younger generation to venture into climbing sports.
“This shows that the community in Serian is very active in the field of sports,” he said when speaking at the closing ceremony of Bung Sadung Climbathon Trail Challenge 2022 at Kampung Bunga, Serian, yesterday.
Sagah, who is also Tarat assemblyman, said that through this climbathon challenge, the younger generation will be able to train themselves to be fearless, more disciplined and optimistic in facing challenges.
He said this will be able to form their identity as most of today’s young generations spend more of their time in the world of artificial intelligence.
Sagah added that this programme can foster sportsmanship, especially among the participants by warding off greed, selfishness and self-interest.
“The significance of organising a programme like this is that we can further strengthen the bond of friendship and togetherness between the community in Serian, which is known to have a variety of backgrounds from religious beliefs, race, age and so on,” he said.
Besides the main activity, Sagah also commended the organisers’ initiative of setting up sales booths to attract visitors at the same time encouraging local residents to sell their products and the various agencies that provide services to visitors as well.
Bung Sadung Climbathon Trail Challenge 2022 is a sport and recreation-based activity where participants will have to trek through a route that has been set by the organisers and have to reach the ‘Bung’ or the highest peak of Mount Sadung, which is at a height of 753 metres.
In addition, participants can also enjoy the beautiful scenery of Mount Sadung as well as the diversity of flora and fauna species.
This programme also helps in promoting Serian as an ecotourism centre in the state with the beauty of the mountains found in the area.
The 10km Men’s Open category saw Sean Lionneil won first place, while Muhammad Asri Weding and Izzat Haikal Ismail came in second and third place respectively.
For the 10km Women’s Open category, Lim Siet Fah took first place, followed by Siti Hadjar in second and Fiffy Tiffney Rapieng in third.
Meanwhile, Hardey Suntol clinched first place in the 6km Men’s Veteran, followed by Tan Wee Ming and Tang Swee Ming while the 6km Women’s Veteran saw Ho Hie Knew topping the list by getting first, followed by runner-up Limsed Hiang and second runner-up Tan Sii Eng.
