Malaysia International Masters Swimming Championship 2015

The invite for the Malaysia International Masters Swimming Championship 2015 is out with details are follows :

Championship Date	:	Saturday, 5th December 2015
Championship Venue	:	Darul Ehsan Aquatic Centre (DEAC)
Entry Closing Date	:	Sunday, 22nd November 2015, 12pm
Team Captains Meeting	:	5th December, 2015 10 am.
Entry Categories	:	Team and individual entries
Entry Fees	:	Registration fee RM50.00 per swimmer RM10.00 per swimmer per individual event RM50.00 per relay team per event
Date of Reckoning	:	31 December 2015

For rules and regulations and entry forms, please download here.

For more information, please visit

Facebook: facebook.com/MalaysiaInternationalMastersSwimming

Web: www.malaysiainternationalmastersswimming.com

The Star : School term set to start on Jan 4 next year

PETALING JAYA: Schools will reopen on Jan 4 next year in all states except Johor, Kedah, Kelantan and Terengganu. They will open a day earlier in these states.

According to the Education Ministry website, there will be 215 school days and 71 holidays (see chart).

School heads can apply for four days of “cuti peristiwa (occasional holiday)”.

These need not be replaced.


They can also apply for “cuti ganti (replacement holiday)”, which is subject to approval by the state education department.

The year-end break will start on Nov 26 next year, except in Johor, Kedah, Kelantan and Terengganu, where the holidays start a day earlier.

ASUM Hari Sukan Negara Short Course Meet 2015

Last weekend, in echoing the initiative of the whole nation in celebrating National Sports Day, the Klang Valley swimmers have had the chance to compete in the 1st ASUM Hari Sukan Negara Short Course Swimming Competition on 10-11 October, 2015.

The maiden meet was organised by the Amateur Swimming Union of Malaysia at Bukit Jalil Aquatic Centre with more than 500 participants from clubs and schools around Klang Valley. All meet records are the timings achieved in the first placings.

Team IBSC at short course meet

Click to see Full Results

IBSC swimmers did well overall and congratulations to the following swimmers for their awesome achievements.

OPEN BOYS	Gold	Silver	Bronze
Ian James Barr	50 Back 100 Breast 100 Back	100 Free 50 Breast	50 Fly
Keith Lim	50 Fly 100 Fly 50 Free		100 Free
Welson Sim*	100 Free	50 Back 50 Fly 100 Fly 100 Back	50 Free
GROUP 1 BOYS	Gold	Silver	Bronze
Foong Wei Tze*	100 Breast 50 Breast 50 Free	50 Fly 100 Free 100 Fly
Ng Yi Hao		100 Breast	50 Back
Nicholas Soon		50 Breast
Afiq Imran b. Masron			50 Breast
Adam Afif b. Faizal			100 Breast
GROUP 2 BOYS	Gold	Silver	Bronze
Iqmal Muqhis		100 Free 50 Breast	100 Breast 50 Free
Low Ken Ji	100 Back	100 Fly	50 Back 50 Fly
GROUP 3 BOYS	Gold	Silver	Bronze
Low Zheng Yong*	100 Breast 50 Fly 100 Fly 50 Breast 50 Free
Steve Khiew	100 Free 100 Back	50 Back 50 Free
GROUP 4 BOYS	Gold	Silver	Bronze
NG K-Yang	100 Breast 50 Breast	100 Back
See Zhi-Hahn			100 Back

OPEN GIRLS	Gold	Silver	Bronze
Tan Rou Ying	50 Back 100 Back	50 Fly 100 Fly 50 Free	100 Free
Erika Kong		100 Breast
GROUP 1 GIRLS	Gold	Silver	Bronze
Farra Dyana Arffin	100 Breast 100 Fly	50 Back	50 Fly 50 Breast 50 Free
GROUP 2 GIRLS	Gold	Silver	Bronze
Nurlatifa Zahra		50 Back 100 Back 50 Free
GROUP 4 GIRLS	Gold	Silver	Bronze
Ng Zi Syuen		100 Breast 50 Breast

* swimmers hosted by IBSC


The kids have experienced the meet in many angles. Some who are confident of their turnings and underwater kick techniques obviously have added advantage over their peers. Some got pretty confused with so many somersaults and laps to do. Unfortunately there are new learners who were given DQs and they ought to take this opportunity to learn from their mistakes so as not to repeat the same fault in future meets.

Some IBSC parents sitting in as Turn Judges during the 2-day meet 

Some esteemed IBSC parents who went through the ASUM course also volunteered their time and contributed to the meet as Turn Judges and Timekeepers. Bravo to them for their sacrifice and assistance.

Thanks to IBSC's Team Manager, Mr Ken Liew for a wonderful job done during the meet, taking care of more than 100 IBSC swimmers. Also appreciation goes to the coaches for coaching the swimmers on short course sprinting techniques and guiding them throughout.

Group 4 girls

Tobin Sia (middle) taking a plunge simultaneously with his competitors

Dyllon Ratchaga

Team Manager, Ken with Chan Ka Ken who came first in his heat.

Ian James Barr, won 3 gold, 2 silver and 1 bronze

Day 2 group photos

See more pictures at IBSC Gallery

Demise of Mr Edwin Chong

The Executive Committee is deeply saddened with the demise of Mr Edwin Chong, a committee member of Ikan Bilis Swimming Club on 10 October, 2015.

The late Mr Edwin Chong was also the Honorary Secretary of Amateur Swimming Union of Malaysia and Kuala Lumpur Amateur Swimming Association until end of last year when he gave up all his positions due to his illness. He has been with IBSC since the early 1990s and had contributed tremendously not only to IBSC but also to the development of swimming sports as a whole in Malaysia.

Our thoughts and prayers are with the family members of the late Mr Edwin Chong during this difficult time.

With deepest sympathy from,
The Committee Members and parents of
Ikan Bilis Swimming Club

The Star : Former Asum secretary Edwin dies

BY LIM TEIK HUAT

KUALA LUMPUR: The aquatics community have been left to mourn the loss of former long-serving Amateur Swimming Union of Malaysia (Asum) secretary Edwin Chong.

Edwin Chong

Edwin, who has been undergoing treatment for kidney cancer for more than a year, passed away Saturday morning. He was 66.

Edwin was the driving force behind Malaysia’s rise in world diving and was one of the longest-serving secretaries of a national sports body in the country.

Edwin first became Asum secretary in 1997 but was replaced by Bang Toh Hoo in 2000.

Edwin made a comeback after the 2001 SEA Games in Kuala Lumpur. He stepped down when he found out about his illness after the Incheon Asian Games last year.

Edwin also served on the FINA technical committee and was also assistant secretary of the Olympic Council of Malaysia (OCM).

Mae Chen, who took over as Asum secretary early this year, described Edwin’s passing as a loss to Malaysian aquatics.

“Edwin has left us, but his legacy, especially in diving, will live on forever.

“It was Edwin’s idea and hard work to bring the FINA Diving Grand Prix and the Asian Diving Cup to South-East Asia,” she said.

“We benefited greatly. He helped push our divers to be exposed to higher level competitions.

“Today we have managed to produce medal winners at Olympics and World Championships.

“I also learned a lot from him.”

PRAKL's athletes and official won several awards from MSWP

Congratulations to the KL Aquatic Team and Persatuan Renang Amatur Kuala Lumpur for winning several awards during the Federal Territory Sports Awards Night 2013/2014 this week.

The award winners were :

Best Male Athlete : Ian James Bar (Swimming)
Best Female Athlete: Loh Zhiayi (Diving)
Most Promising Athlete: Nur Dhabitah Sabri (Diving)
Best Sport Officer: Mae Chen (Persatuan Renang Amatur Kuala Lumpur)

Loh Zhiayi and Ian James Barr

Ian with Pengarah MSWP, En. Mohd Razlan

Ms Mae Chen, PRAKL's Hon. Secretary, won the best official category

PRAKL's Aquatic Team winners

The full list of award is displayed below:


SENARAI NAMA PEMENANG ANUGERAH SUKAN WILAYAH PERSEKUTUAN 2013/2014

Olahragawan: Ian James Bar (Renang)
Olahragawati: Loh Zhiayi (Terjun)
Olahragawan Harapan: Muhammad Danial Mohd Azri (Taekwondo)
Olahragawati Harapan: Nur Dhabitah Sabri (Terjun)
Olahragawan Paralimpik: Cheah Liek Hou (Badminton)
Olahragawati Paralimpik: Siti Eleeni Ibrahim (Boling Padang)
Pasukan Lelaki Terbaik: Pasukan Sepak Takraw
Pasukan Wanita Terbaik: Pasukan Gimrama A
Jurulatih Terbaik: Phua Chen Hong (Taekwondo)
Pegawai Sukan Terbaik: Mae Chen (Persatuan Renang Amatur Kuala Lumpur)
Anugerah Khas: Allahyarham Azmi Shaari (Persatuan Sepak Takraw Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur) .

http://www.wipers.gov.my/senarai-pemenang-anugerah-sukan-2013/2014

The Star : OCM challange athletes to break 111 gold record

BY ERIC SAMUEL

PETALING JAYA: The Olympic Council of Malaysia (OCM) have challenged the athletes for the 2017 Kuala Lumpur SEA Games to surpass the record 111-gold haul 14 years ago.

OCM president Tunku Tan Sri Imran Tuanku Ja’afar said if the athletes could achieve the feat when they hosted the 2001 Games, then they should be able to better the haul in 2017.

“I think it’s a realistic target ... definitely realistic,” said Tunku Imran at the 2015 OCM-Sports Toto Outstanding Athletes of the Games awards ceremony on Thursday.

At this year’s Singapore SEA Games in June, Malaysia returned with a 62-gold haul.

“Many sports that we excelled in were not contested in Singapore. Judging from the performances of some of our youngsters, I am sure they are going to get better in 2017. I hope the national sports associations work hand in hand with their athletes to achieve the target.”

Sports Toto handed out RM50,000 to the successful athletes at the Singapore Games. Triple gold medallists – Ooi Tze Liang (diving), Fatin Nurfatehah Mat Salleh (archery) and Muhd Rafiq Ismail (bowling) – were among the athletes who attended the ceremony in the OCM Sport Museum and Hall of Fame at Wisma OCM.

Tunku Imran said he hoped that Sports Toto would consider extending the incentive to medallists at the Commonwealth Youth Games, Asian Youth Games and Olympic Youth Games.

The Star : The journey begins for 2017 SEA Games athletes

BY S. RAMAGURU

KUALA LUMPUR: More than 842 athletes have started training for the 2017 Kuala Lumpur SEA Games.

Ab Jalil (right) with National Sports Council (NSC) acting director of athletes department Jefri Ngadirin reading the Kita Juara pamphlet at NSC on Thursday. - Bernama

The athletes – 577 full-timers and 265 part-timers – come under the National Sports Council’s “Kita Juara” programme.

NSC deputy director-general Datuk Ab Jalil Abdullah said the programme will have three phases.

“The target, as the name suggests, is to be champions at the 2017 SEA Games. The first phase now (September, 2015 to September, 2016) involves the identification of the athletes and the hiring of coaches to oversee the respective programmes.

“Under the second phase (October, 2016 to March, 2017), we will trim the number of athletes as we want the best for the Games.

“This batch of athletes will then attend the last phase of training from April 2017 till the start of the Games in August,” added Jalil.

He said the 842 athletes came from the 37 sports to be contested at the Games.

“But the Olympic Council of Malaysia (OCM) have since informed us that they’ve included two more sports – judo and canoeing – for the Games. So there will now be an increase in the number of athletes.

“There will be a total of 177 officials involved in the programme. Eleven are technical directors, 59 foreign coaches, 80 local coaches, 14 part-time coaches and 13 support staff.

“The athletes will also be sent for foreign stints as well as compete in local competitions. They will also attend seminars, talks, motivational camps and social activities. This will be done in stages,” added Jalil.

The 39 sports under the programme are athletics, aquatics, weightlifting, badminton, cycling, bodybuilding, netball, basketball, billiards and snooker, football, volleyball, equestrian, gymnastics, golf, ice hockey, field hockey, karate, cricket, fencing, lawn bowls, ice skating, archery, shooting, sailing, pencak silat, petanque, table tennis, polo, rugby, sepaktakraw, water-skiing, squash, taekwondo, tennis, bowling, boxing, triathlon, wushu and judo.

The Star : Malaysian swimmer Zheng Yang breaks Asian record in Bangkok

BY LIM TEIK HUAT

PETALING JAYA: It’s been six long years, but Malaysia can finally rejoice having a record-breaking swimmer in the Asian Age-Group Aquatics Championships.

Bukit Jalil-based Yeap Zheng Yang clocked 1:51.22 to win the boys’ 200m freestyle event in the 15-17 age group for Malaysia’s only gold as the meet ended in Bangkok on Wednesday.

The previous meet record of 1:52.22 was set by 2010 Guangzhou Asian Games bronze medallist Derick Ng of Hong Kong in 2013.

Jordan’s Khader Ghetrich and Uzbekistan’s Aleksey Tarasenko also dipped under the previous meet record in taking silver (1:51.64) and bronze (1:51.74).

The 17-year-old Zheng Yang is the first Malaysian to set a meet record at the Asian age-group since Daniel Bego in the 100m butterfly six years ago.

Zheng Yang also took a bronze in the 400m freestyle in 3:59.56. Japan’s Atsuya Yoshida (3:58.19) took gold and Ghetrich (3:58.64) the silver.

Zheng Yang’s performances in Bangkok have placed him as the country’s third ranked middle and long distance male swimmer behind Kevin Yeap and Singapore SEA Games gold medallist Welson Sim.

In the boys’ 18-year old and above category, Keith Lim clocked 51.75 to contribute a silver for Malaysia.

Ian James Barr, making a comeback after a long lay-off to recover from a shoulder injury, clocked 2:07.71 in the 200m individual medley for a bronze in the same age category.

Malaysian divers also made a good impression in their first international outing, reeling in five silvers and a bronze.

Sarawak’s Kimberly Bong was the most outstanding diver, with two silvers in the girls’ Group C 3m springboard and 10m platform.

The remaining silver medals came from Gabriel Gilbert Daim (boys’ Group B 1m springboard), Megan Elizabeth Teoh (girls’ Group B 3m springboard) and Hanis Nazirul Surya (boys’ Group B 3m springboard).

Jelson Jabilin contributed the bronze in the boys’ Group B 3m springboard.

Diving back-up coach Yeoh Ken Nee took a small development team of six to Bangkok and was happy they managed to give a good account of themselves despite their lack of exposure.

“All our five silver medals in diving were won behind Japan. The Japanese team dominated most of the events as they’re way stronger than our development team,” said the former national diver.

“But I believe our youngsters have a better understanding of what they need to improve on if they are to dominate in Asia.”

The Star : East Malaysia may not host any SEA Games event in 2017

BY KNG ZHENG GUAN

PETALING JAYA: Sabah and Sarawak may not host any events in the 2017 SEA Games.

Olympic Council of Malaysia (OCM) president Tunku Tan Sri Imran Tuanku Ja’afar said that this was because it would be costly to hold some events in those two states.

“We have to look at the cost to host the Games in 2017. Ideally, the Klang Valley is the best place to be the host as sporting venues are easily accessible,” said Tunku Imran.

“If we were to have it in Sabah or Sarawak, there may be more travelling costs incurred for the visiting nations.

“But we are looking to see if KL has enough venues. Nothing is confirmed yet until the SEA Games Federation meeting in February next year.”

He said this after attending a SportExcel function at the Royal Selangor Club here. At the function, Tunku Imran, who is also the chairman of SportExcel, handed out grants worth RM59,500 to 45 junior athletes from 10 different sports.

Some of the junior athletes who received grants from SportExcel during a ceremony in Selangor on Wednesday. - ART CHEN/ The STAR

The sports are golf, bowling, cricket, cycling, gymnastics, shooting, squash, swimming, taekwondo and tennis.

Tunku Imran also spoke about karate’s possible inclusion at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. The sport has been shortlisted by the Tokyo Olympic Committee together with baseball/softball, surfing, skateboard and sport climbing.

He urged the Malaysian Karate Federation (Makaf) to make good use of the opportunities to promote themselves.

“Of course it’s not a done deal yet for karate as the International Olympic Committee (IOC) still have to make their decision next August,” said Tunku Imran.

“But any sport that gets into the Olympics would receive tremendous interest ... just like taekwondo when it first got into the Olympics in 1988.

“It’s now up to Makaf to produce a programme for medal winners in 2020. They’ve always done well at the World Championships but winning a gold medal at the Olympics will be a lot tougher.

“It would have been great also if bowling and squash had made the list (for the Tokyo Olympics). As a former president of the World Squash Federation (1989-2002) and who first started the bid campaign, I am devastated but I’m sure the sport will get there one day.”

The Star : Jinq En breaks national record at World Cup swim meet

BY LIM TEIK HUAT

PETALING JAYA: Teenager Phee Jinq En was all smiles after coming close to making the podium for Malaysia at the FINA Swimming World Cup at the OCBC Aquatics Centre in Singapore.

The 17-year-old smashed Christina Loh’s 2011 national record of 32.11 by clocking a superb 32.01 to finish a creditable fourth in the women’s 50m breaststroke final on Sunday.

The top three medallists were finalists in the event at the 2012 London Olympics.

Jamaica’s Alia Atkinson, the silver medallist at the World Championships in July, took the gold in 30.74.

Australia’s Sally Hunter clinched the silver in 31.50 with American Micah Lawrence clocking 31.66 for the bronze.

Erika Kong, Malaysia’s other representative, finished seventh in 33.40.

Jinq En also competed in the 200m breaststroke but finished sixth in 2:39.15. Erika was fifth in 2:37.47.  

Jinq En, who won the 100m breaststroke gold at the Singapore SEA Games in June, was surprised that she managed to break Christina’s record.

“I took my SAT exams (required for college admission in the United States) on Saturday morning and immediately flew to Singapore for the meet. I didn’t expect to break the mark but I’m thrilled to get my first national record in my first World Cup outing,” said Selangor-born Jinq En.