Mok Xiao Yuan happy to complete final Sukma with taijiquan bronze for Sarawak

KUCHING (Aug 15): Sarawak’s national squad athlete Mok Xiao Yuan is happy he won the Sukma XXI men’s taijiquan bronze at the Sarawak Wushu Training and Competition Centre in Petra Jaya, here today.

The 21-year-old competing in his final Sukma was tied with Lee Cheng Yang of Federal Territories on 9.593 points but lost out to the judges’ decision on points scored on difficulty to settle for the bronze.

The gold medal went to Wong Zi Hong of Negeri Sembilan, who posted 9.596 points and won by a mere 0.03 points.

Met after the event, Mok told reporters he was happy because he didn’t set any medal target.

Furthermore, he was not in top condition because he was not fully recovered from the flu.

“I did not make any error in my routine today and my points in Group A and C were full but the points in Group B were decided by the judges,” explained Mok, who took up the sport when he was 10.

“Overall, l am happy with my performance because at least l managed to win a medal. I also won a bronze at the last Sukma in Kuala Lumpur.”

Mok will be travelling with the national squad to Singapore a week after Sukma to compete in an international competition.

Meanwhile, fellow Sarawakian Carmen Chaw Jia Min collected her second Sukma XXI medal when she finished third in the women’s taijiquan today.

Chaw collected 9.573 points to finish after gold medalist Mandy Cebelle Chen of Selangor, who scored 9.606 points, and Kwan Yong Xin of Federal Territories on 9.600 points.

On the first day of competition, Chaw delivered Sarawak’s first wushu silver when she scored 9.530 points ahead of national exponent from Federal Territories Kwan Yong Xin, who managed 9.490 points in the 19-athlete field.