Tuesday September 11, 2012

Varsity students target to clock 120 hours of non-stop treadmill run

By ZORA CHAN
zora@thestar.com.my

Record attempt: Selected athletes of UiTM cheering on the first runner Mohd Farhan Mulyadiy. Nine athletes are attempting to enter Malaysia Book of Records with 120 hours non-stop relay running on treadmills at UiTM campus in Samarahan. - ZULAZHAR SHEBLEE / THE STAR

SAMARAHAN: Mohamad Nurnazri Qaiyum Shamsuddin will focus his thoughts on his two sport idols — Olympian and world’s fastest man Usain Bolt, and world’s No. 1 squash player Datuk Nicole David — the moment he steps on the treadmill.

The 18-year-old freshman is one of the nine athletes from Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) Sarawak Campus who are taking part in the varsity’s record-breaking 120-hour non-stop relay treadmill run.

“I am nervous and excited at the same time as I’ve never attempted such a feat before. My seniors encouraged me to take part in the event,” the diploma in banking told The Star.

Nurnazri is joined by eight other students in the relay on treadmills, which began at 11.30am here yesterday in the campus foyer, and will end this Saturday at 11.30am.

Each athlete will take turns to run on five treadmills for two hours towards their goal to enter Malaysia Book of Records.

The current record is held by a team from Universiti Malaya, who clocked a total of 72 hours.

Nurnazri said he hoped to emulate Bolt’s and Nicole’s success stories and bring pride to his family and country.

“I’m inspired by Bolt’s performance and determination in the Olympics. I’m also motivated by Nicole because of her consistency and success, be they in major international squash tournaments or in her studies,” he said.

An accomplished athlete himself, Nurnazri said he had always enjoyed sports. “When I was studying at SMK Chung Hua in Sibu, I was very active in the track and field event. Last year during the inter-division school sports meet, I won bronze in both the 400m and 110m hurdles events,” he said.

Similar to Nurnazri, another runner in the team, Mohd Ady Fadila Majni, 18, said he had always been very active in sports, particularly in long-distance running.

A bronze medallist in last year’s inter-division school sports meet through the 1,500m event, he said running was good for one’s health and it could help to boost one’s self-esteem.

“I myself continue to jog after completing high school at SMK St Joseph in Kuching, because I realise the benefits of exercising and how it can boost my mental and physical growth,” he said.

Meanwhile, one of the two girl athletes in the run, Nurul Ain Syazwani Zakaria said the team members had been training five times a week over the past two months to build up their stamina for the record-breaking feat.

“We would spend an hour or more jogging around the campus, or exercising in the gym,” the 19-year-old said.

The Taiping-born lass, who is pursuing her diploma in sports science and recreation, said she hoped to enjoy herself throughout the run.

“I’m confident that we all can do it,” she said.

Apart from the three, the team also comprised Ben Paukin, 19; Charles Kin Diking, 19; Donacia Peter, 19; Mohammad Amirul Ismaili, 20; Mohammad Noor Azuan Hamdan, 23; and Mohd Farhan Mulyadiy, 20.

All are diploma students except Azuan, who is pursuing his degree in business administration.

Organising chairman Mohd As-madzy Ahmad Basra, said more than 70 students from various cour-ses had signed up to volunteer for the record-breaking treadmill run.

“After several sessions of screening and training, we short-listed these entries to nine,” he said.

Organised by the university’s Faculty of Sports Science and Recreation in collaboration with the Science, Technology and Innovation Ministry and sponsored by Level Up Fitness Centre, the event was also held to mark the coming Malaysia Day celebration on Sept 16, added Asmadzy.

Batang Sadong MP Nancy Shukri, who is also UiTM alumni member, launched the record-breaking attempt here yesterday.

In her speech, she said the attempt showed that Malaysian students were very determined and competitive when it came to excelling in everything they did and being on par with others on the world stage.

She stressed that such values needed to be instilled and nurtured among the young so they would be driven to achieve success in their studies, sports and other future undertaking through creativity and innovation.

“I hope students will emulate the strong determination to succeed in our national athletes like Pandelela Rinong Pamg and Datuk Lee Chong Wei,” she said.

Nancy said students were very fortunate these days because the Government had provided ample opportunities for them to further their tertiary studies and explore their talents.

Meanwhile, UiTM Sarawak rector Prof Datuk Dr Jamil Hamali hoped the event would encourage other students to go exercise and lead a healthy lifestyle, besides excelling in their studies.

He also hoped that students would come up with more interesting activities that could boost the university’s name and at the same time, make a name for themselves.

News

Tuesday September 11, 2012

Varsity students target to clock 120 hours of non-stop treadmill run

By ZORA CHAN zora@thestar.com.my

By ZORA CHAN
zora@thestar.com.my