16 athletes competing at Melaka Open
Published on: Saturday, June 30, 2018
Kota Kinabalu: Some 16 junior athletes from Tuaran and Lahad Datu will be taking part in the 53rd Melaka Open Athletics Championship at the SSN (State Sports School) Seri Kota Melaka, starting today (Saturday).The athletes, including four from Alangkas Fitness Club Lahad Datu will compete under the Tuaran Athletics (TA) banner. TA is a Tuaran-based sports and recreation society. Head coach Victor Suan said the athletes aged between 13 and 17 will be competing in the Under-18 category of the two-day championship."We aim to improve the athletes' personal record as well as to test their ability by competing with other junior athletes," he said.ADVERTISEMENT The athletes are Chistopher Marc Junior Lo, Eriesya Marie Lo Chew Ning, Justwin Deamin Jonas, Sylvia Lirang Robert, Ian Jovic Suan, Adam Tan Chee Heong, Nia Jovic Suan, Esther Joanne Ailos, Muhammad Aiman Akmal Intu, Muhammad Akimiey, Mackelson Emil Martin, Mohammad Ambali Salidi, Mohammad Ahnafi Salidi, Markdennis Laraya, Ritchel Eachley Junior, and Estherphnia Ajis.They were coached by Josephen Maria Job and Errol Gaikin, and chaperoned by Jenny Pogong Banang and Yetty Sylvia Ompurot.Victor said the athletes will be taking part in the sprint and middle distance race events. Meanwhile, he lamented on the lack of sports training facility in Tuaran."It is hard for the athletes, especially the juniors, to train without proper facility…our athletes are active in joining competitions every year.ADVERTISEMENT "At the moment, we have to borrow or rent sports facility from other venues to train."We really hope the new government will look into this matter seriously."
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It was made to understand that a synthetic track has been proposed to be built in Kent Teachers' Training Institute's field, in Tuaran.Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express’s Telegram channel.
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The District Office has been directed by the then Local Government and Housing Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor to get the specification for the construction of the track from the State Sports Board for the purpose of applying for allocation from the Economic Planning Unit (EPU).The track aimed to provide sports facility for schools in the district of Tuaran where currently these schools had to use other venues like Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS), Likas and Ranau Sports Complexes for sports programmes. - Ricardo Unto