KUCHING: Jonah Chang Rigan made history by winning the hammer throw event, securing his third gold in the throwing events. Sarawak’s total medal count now stands at one gold and two bronzes in the Sukma athletics competitions held at Sarawak Stadium.
With the latest medal haul on the final day, Sarawak’s total medals include five golds, four silvers, 10 bronzes, and two Games records. The five gold medals were earned by Jonah Chang in the shot put, discus, and hammer throw, Ng Jing Xuan in women’s javelin, and a surprise victory from Pauline Ulun in the women’s discus event.
Leading up to the hammer throw event, Jonah was uncertain of his chances, considering his closest rival from Perlis had the upper hand. However, with his fourth throw, Jonah claimed gold with a distance of 54.65m, surpassing his Perlis rival Rizad Azri bin Che RadziRejab Che Radzi, who threw 48.70m in his third attempt.
Sarawak’s second thrower, Liu Teck Yi, found the competition challenging, securing fourth place with a throw of 41.55m. His third gold was a significant achievement for Sarawak, as they had fallen short of the seven-gold target set before the fifth day. Despite that, Sarawak managed to secure silver in women’s shot put and bronze in women’s hammer throw and men’s pole vault.
“This unexpected third gold win has boosted my confidence. Initially, I was nervous about my rival and doubted my chances of winning,” Jonah told reporters after his victory.
“My focus during training was on shot put, but this win in the hammer throw has inspired me to aim for the SEA Games, especially with news of Jackie Wong Siew Cher’s retirement.
“I plan to take a month off to relax on my farm, indulge in gardening, and then embark on a motorcycle tour across the country with the prize money I’ve earned.
“I am delighted not just for my victory but also for Sarawak’s success in securing three gold medals,” Jonah expressed after his win.
In the men’s long jump event, Sarawak clinched a bronze through Gabriel Syamsai ak Paulin, who jumped a distance of 7.08m. Perak’s Tan Zhi Hang won the gold with a distance of 7.26m, while Kasman bin Kasim from Sabah took the silver with a jump of 7.11m.
Sarawak’s Rueben Valen Samer Ak Wellie achieved a distance of 7.00m in his attempt. In the final two events, the 4x100m relays for men and women, Sarawak’s women’s team secured a bronze.
The relay quartet comprised Dayang Rifa Nisrina bte Abang Abdul Rahman, Danea Humairan bte Shahyman Sufry, Sharifah Nur Alisya bte Syed Zfirna, and Ormilla Octavia Codday Nyadai. The Sarawak team clocked 48.32s, with the Selangor quartet claiming gold at 47.97s and the Johor team securing silver with a time of 48.32s.
