MIRI: Four swimmers from Sarawak showcased their prowess at the Malaysia Open 2024, held from May 23 to 26 at the National Aquatic Centre, KL Sports City.
Competing against 21 teams, including international participants, they delivered stellar performances, breaking personal records and securing qualifications for upcoming prestigious events.
Hector Ho Rze Jun emerged as a standout performer.
In the 50m breaststroke, Hector clocked an impressive 29.35secs, securing second place.
The time not only shattered his previous record of 29.88secs but also qualified him for both the Malaysia Games (Sukma) 2024 and the Southeast Asian (SEA) Age Group Championships 2024 in Thailand.
Hector further contributed to Sarawak’s success by helping clinch third place in the 4x100m medley relay.
His new personal bests include 54.37secs in the 100m freestyle, beating his old record of 55.60, and 1:05.34 in the 100m breaststroke, surpassing his previous best of 1:07.
Clair Lau Yu Rong added to Sarawak’s medal tally with a commendable performance in the relays. She played a crucial role in securing second place for Sarawak in the 4x200m freestyle relay.
Nuri Saadan Khaulid also made headlines by breaking his personal records in multiple events. He improved his backstroke time from 30.42 to 29.52secs, his breaststroke from 31.50 to 30.87secs, and his freestyle from 25.67 to 25.43secs.
Bong Rui Jie exhibited remarkable progress, breaking his own records across five events. His new times include 55.31secs in the 100m freestyle (down from 56.79), 2:04.79 in the 200m freestyle (from 2:06.52), 2:26.80 in the 200m individual medley (from 2:31.29), 4:27.02 in the 400m freestyle (from 4:36.08), and 25.97 seconds in the 50m freestyle (from 26.58).
Ethren Ethanael Lim Churn, who has been awarded the Best Boy of Hope from the Education Ministry (KPM)-Malaysian Schools Sports Council (MSSM)-Milo 2023 sports awards, added to Sarawak’s pride.
With a cash award of RM2,000 and a trophy, Ethren’s accolades include setting two records, winning the Best Boy trophy, securing six gold, two silver, one relay gold, two relay silver, and one relay bronze. His qualification for the SEA Age Group Championships in the B category during the Malaysia Invitation Age Group 2024 further cements his status as a rising star in Malaysian swimming.
