Tuesday September 18, 2012

Biggest turnout at Starwalk

GEORGE TOWN: The Penang Starwalk, which marked its 35th edition with a total of 21,672 registered walkers, recorded its biggest number of participants ever.

Non-competition walkers began their stroll around historic George Town at 7am after being flagged off at Birch House by Penang Yang di-Pertua Negri Tun Abdul Rahman Abbas.

Competitive walkers started their 10km route half an hour earlier by Penang Starwalk 2012 co-chairman Datuk Syed Mohd Aidid Syed Murtaza, who was accompanied by Star Publications (M) Bhd group managing director and chief executive officer Ho Kay Tat and Star Publications (M) Bhd executive director Tan Sri Kamal Hashim.

Resounding success: Kamal (eighth from right), Ho (seventh from right), Mohd Syed (sixth from left) clapping their hands after presenting mementoes to Penang Starwalk 2012 working partners and main sponsors including Joseph (seventh from left), Yeoh (sixth from right) as well as the representatives of Magnum, 100Plus, Golden Screen Cinemas, Medispec (M) Sdn Bhd, Nikon, Pallas, Milo, BP Healthcare, Penang Times Square and Rapid Penang during the event at Penang Times Square in Jalan Datuk Keramat.

Penang Starwalk 2012 is jointly organised by The Star and Penang Amateur Athletics Association and is endorsed by the State Education Department and Penang Municipal Council.

The main sponsors of the event are YES and Genneva Malaysia (platinum), Medispec (gold) and Magnum, 100 Plus, Golden Screen Cinemas, Nikon, Pallas, Milo and BP Healthcare (silver) while the official venue provider is Penang Times Square and official transport provider Rapid Penang.

Also present were regional operations manager (north) Chung Chok Yin, who is Penang Starwalk 2012 co-chairman, YTL Corporation Berhad executive director Datuk Yeoh Soo Keng and Genneva Malaysia Sdn Bhd regional director Datuk Joseph Kow.

Worth their weight in gold: (From left) Lucky draw winners Thum Kuen Mun, Edmond Too and Harnizam Haron posing with their prizes.

For Elsie Ooi and Leong Khai Sheong. it was truly a walk to remember as they got engaged at the finish line of Penang Starwalk 2012.

It was the first time they had walked in the annual event, though both had participated in some 10 Starwalks each by providing first aid and emergency services as members of St John Ambulance.

“I wanted to do something different and special for her. So, about 20 of our friends in St John were roped in for the proposal,” said Leong, 30.

Pleasant surprise: Leong sliding a diamond ring onto Ooi’s finger at the finish line.

The engineer went down on his knees after he and Ooi, 28, completed the 6km non-competition walk.

Ooi was flabbergasted when her St John friends surrounded them and she was presented with a beautiful bouquet of red roses.

“I was shocked and didn't know how to react!

“But it was nice,” said Ooi, who is a teacher.

News

Tuesday September 18, 2012

Biggest turnout at Starwalk