Kasa swimmers splash to Sarawak Age Group overall title

KUCHING (Jan 5): Kuching Amateur Swimming Association (Kasa 2010) put up a dominant show in the 52nd Sarawak Age Group (SAG) Swimming Championships which ended at the Pandelela Rinong Aquatic Centre in Petra Jaya on Sunday.

The 87-member team led from start to finish in the three-day meet to amass 2,509.5 points to emerge as the overall champions. They also scooped the best overall women’s team award with 1,373 points and men’s overall team award with 1,136.5 points.

Kasa 2010 earned more honours as they captured seven best swimmers awards through Larissa Yii Ya Xuan (Girls 10-11 – 8 golds), Shanise Jauwa Joseline Adong (Girls 16-18 – 3 golds and two new records), Luke Lu Shi Yeon (Boys 9 & Under – 4 golds), Ryan Tong Zye Hong (Boys 10-11 – 3 golds, 2 silvers, 3 bronzes), Sheamus Chew Heng Yi (Boys 14-15 – 7 golds and one new meet record), Ryan Colby Kueh (Boys 16-18 – 4 golds, 1 silver) and Hii Puong Jie (Boys 19-21 – 5 golds).

Miri Amateur Swimming Association (Masa) walked away with three individual awards as Carissa Chong Wan Qii was adjudged best swimmer in Girls 9 & Under after winning five golds, Yuen En Chee in the Girls 12-13 with seven golds and Liysha Liung Celestine Chen in the Girls 14-15 with six golds.

Kota Samarahan Amateur Swimming Association (Kotas) took two such awards through Christy Wong Yau Xuan in the Girls 19-21 with seven golds and Rusell Liaw Yi Han in the Boys 12-13 with nine golds.

Masa finished as second best overall team with 1,693.5 points followed by Kotas (928), Sibu Amateur Swimming Association (Sasa) with 684 and Bintulu Amateur Swimming Association (Basa) with 419.

Four records were broken during the championships, with Anson Chiu Wei Kiet of Basa shattering a 22-year record in the Boys 14-15 200m breaststroke with a time of 2:25.74s on the opening day. The old mark of 2:31.50s was set by Tay Xue Jun in 2004.

Malaysia Games (Sukma) bronze medalist Shanise Jauwa followed up with a new record in the Girls 16-18 50m with 31.81s to better the old record of 32.35s set by Leong Wan Mei eight years ago.

The third record was set by Sheamus Chew in the Boys 14-15 200m individual medley with a time of 2:16.26s, erasing the old time of 2:17.75s set by Alex Tiong in 2011.

Shanise created her second record in the Girls 16-18 100m backstroke by clocking 1:08.43s to beat the old record of 1:08.23s set by Kelly Teo in 2023.

Minister of Youth, Sports and Entrepreneur Development Dato Sri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah, along with Sarawak Sports Corporation Youth and Sports officer Mohamad Adib Zulhusini who represented SSC acting chief executive officer Khairul Nizam Morshidi and Sarawak Education Department Student Talent Development Unit (Sports) assistant director Liew Guo Chen who represented Sarawak Education Department director Omar Mahli, gave away the prizes.

Also present were Amateur Swimming Association of Sarawak (Asas) president Pamanca Tan Kun Gee, organising chairman Voon Yong Hui and Nestle Shopper & Consumer Engagement operation manager Tony Merill.