Welson Sim, S’wak’s own giant-killing aquatics star
KUCHING: Yet another potential Sarawak Olympian is born! He is none other than 21-year old Kuching-born swimmer Welson Sim Wee Sheng. He won the gold medal after beating reigning Olympian champion Mack Horton in the 400m men’s freestyle open swimming championships in Melbourne on Friday.
Youth and Sports Assistant Minister, Datuk Snowdan Lawan described his stunning success as a world class achievement.
“It is a strong will achievement and we are very proud and happy for Sim. Being young he (Welson) would probably be our next Olympic aspirant,” he said.
Snowdan believed that with adequate exposure, persistent training, combined with strong self-discipline, Sim would inevitably be Sarawak’s another Olympian in the making in aquatics.
Welson clocked 3.54.77s to beat the reigning Olympic champion.
“We are truly proud of his achievement. More so, he is a Sarawak-born athlete. His achievement also goes to show we are never short of talents if scouted well,” he added.
Welson started joining swimming classes at an early age of 10.
Snowdan said: “In any sports, if you put your mind to it, at the end of the day, it would always end up a success story.”
He said the next SEA Games in the Philippines end of this year will be a yardstick where Welson is expected to participate.
“And the Tokyo Olympic 2020 shall be his destination. Let’s keep our fingers crossed,” he said wth confident.
Snowdan said Welson’s victory augurs well for Sarawak which is embarking on sporting glory and as a forcefulsport powerhouse.
The swimmer’s victory would also compliment the success story of the state’s past athletes such as Tania Bugo in swimming, Watson Nyambek, the ‘Flying Dayak’ in athletics, Azlan Iskandar in squash, Pandelela Rinong in diving and Buda Anchah in bodybuilding.
Snowdan said they all have made Sarawak proud and advised all Sarawak athletes to always put their mind on what they do to ensure that the victory stage would be theirs.
