BJSS ATHLETICS

No holiday for athletes during CNY break

By STUART MICHAEL
metrospt@thestar.com.my
Photos by M. AZHAR ARIF

Speeding up: Tentera Darat’s Hafizi Talib (in yellow) on his way to winning the 300m event.

 

IN PREPARATION for the upcoming MSSKL Zone Athletic meets, a few schools in Kuala Lumpur sent their students to compete in the FTKLAA/MSSKL Throws, Jumps and Under-Distance Athletic Meet at the National Sports Council training track in Bukit Jalil recently.

According to Abraham Joseph Raj, who coaches the SMK Sri Pantai athletic team, 17 students took part in the meet.

“We won one silver and two bronze medals. That is a great accomplishment.

“Last year, our school won one gold, two silvers and 16 bronze in the MSSKL athletic meet for Bangsar Zone.

“This created history for the school even though we do not have a field for athletics training. I usually enter the students for road races and even train running outside the school.

“We are looking forward to do even better in the upcoming Bangsar Zone MSSKL Athletic Meet to be held at Sri Permaisuri mini stadium in Bandar Sri Permaisuri from March 4 to 7,’’ he said.

Up, up and away: Bukit Jalil Sports School's R. Kirthana in action in the women's triple jump event.

 

Sri Garden School retired teacher S. Arunandy, who is a qualified athletics coach, brought 42 students — the second biggest group at the meet.

Arunandy said the competition was aimed at preparing his students for the upcoming MSSKL Athletic meet.
“I hope they will perform well after gaining experience here.

“Although this meet is held during the Chinese New Year holidays, the students were looking forward to competing as it is the first competitive meet in the Federal Territory Kuala Lumpur Athletic Association (FTKLAA) calendar,’’ he said.

Besides these two schools, Bukit Jalil Sports Schools (BJSS) sent 71 students while Bandar Penawar Sports School had 33 students, followed by SMK Seri Sentosa (33), Police (22), Ground Forces (21), Malacca (20), Alice Smith School (19), Kluang Sports School in Johor (18), Rakan Muda (15) and Paralympic Team (14).

FTKLAA vice-president N.T. Balan said he was pleasantly surprised by the encouraging turnout at the meet despite it being the holiday season.

“There were 290 boys and 222 girls taking part in the championship,’’ he said.

“When a participant manages to run the 60m event with a good timing, it will boost his morale, especially in the case of the younger athletes.

“They will find that they can go even further and start training seriously and eventually compete in normal athletics meets.

“It is all about development. And FTKLAA is very keen in seeing that junior athletes are groomed and have an avenue to compete,’’ added Balan.

Events held at the meet were shot putt, discus, high jump, triple jump, javelin, 3km walk, 5km walk, 2km hurdles, 3km hurdles, 60m, 150m, 300m, 600m, 1,200m, 3,000m — for both men and women.

http://thestar.com.my/metro/story.asp?file=/2013/3/1/central/12722980&sec=central