Sukma XXI: Facilities for throw events ready for use at Lodge School training centre

KUCHING (Aug 13): Lodge Group of Schools takes pride in being one of the training centres for athletics and in this regard, the Sarawak State Sports Council (MSNS) has built a cage for throw events, of which the specifications are World Athletics-certified.

The works kicked off in May this year, and now, the cage is ready to facilitate the training of athletes taking part in throw events.

It is informed that the Lodge School training centre has operational since Aug 2 and will continue to be until Aug 16.

One of Sarawak’s potential gold medallists in the 21st Malaysia Games (Sukma XXI), Jonah Rigah Chang from Sarikei, is undergoing training at this centre.

The national record holder of shot put, at 18.46m, will be competing in this event in this edition of the Games, as well as in men’s shot put, discus and hammer-throw.

Lodge Group of Schools director Su Hiong Ai remarked: “On behalf of Lodge Group of Schools, I wish to thank MSNS and the SSC (Sarawak Sports Corporation) for building the facilities for throw events at Lodge National Secondary School, and also for choosing Lodge as one of the centralised athletics training venue for Sukma XXI in Sarawak.

“I hope Sarawak would succeed in the Games, especially in athletics.”

Lodge School Association chairman Daniel Ling added: “We are proud to be chosen as one of the venues for Sukma XXI Sarawak athletics centralised training, as well as the upgrading of training facilities at this centre.”

Meanwhile, Lodge Group of Schools deputy principal for co-curriculum Willie Liew said they would continue to develop more young talents in the field events – the niche of Sarawak athletics – in events under the umbrella of Malaysian School Sports Council (MSSM), Little Athletics, SEA Youth, Sukma and even the SEA Games.

Lodge was appointed as the Centre of Excellence For Athletics (Field Events) under SSC in 2020, and it has produced eight Kuching record-holders in athletics since 2014.

Among the notable athletes are Solomon Ng who broke the record of 50.26m for hammer-throw in Boys Under-18 in MSSM Kuching Athletics Championship in July this year; Junior Imohi who broke the record of 13.14m for Boys Under-15 triple jump in the same championship; and track queen Ava Aaralyn Tan who won the Girls Under-15 100m, 200m and 400m events.

All three were adjudged as the best athletes of the meet in their respective categories.