JONAH Chang was beaming with pride when he led the Sarawak contingent as the flag bearer during the opening ceremony at the Sarawak Stadium yesterday.
The strong man of Sarawak is set to be one of the many from the 300 over athletes aiming to help the state become the overall champions in the Malaysia Games (Sukma) this year.
Jonah is determined to bring joy by retaining the shot putt gold he won two years ago in Kuala Lumpur and hoping to go one better in the hammer throw and discus.
“It feels good to return home and compete in front of the people of my state. The pressure will be there but I believe in my abilities and what I can do in this stadium,” said Jonah.
“I am 21 now, this is my last Sukma, so for sure I want to go out with a bang.
Ready to rock: The Sarawak contingent, led by Jonah Chang (below), walking into the stadium. — ZULAZHAR SHEBLEE, KAMARUL ARIFFIN and IZZRAFIQ ALIAS/The Star
“This year has been a good one because I broke the national record and now, I hope to end my season with another strong showing.”
The Sarikei-born athlete broke the national record at the Pahang Open in June by hurling a distance of 18.46m – the only Malaysian to do it so far.
Jonah was one of the 10,500 athletes from 14 states and Brunei, who took part in the march past as the Games officially kicked off yesterday amidst loud roars and shouts of joy from a massive 15,000 spectators. The crowd was shouting “Agi Idup, Agi Ngelaban” which means to persevere and continue to strive or struggle as long as one is alive.
The last time Sarawak hosted the Games was in 2016 when there were only 5,600 athletes.
The performances featured a fusion of both modern and traditional music and dance accompanied by some dazzling laser displays.
Sarawak’s Yang di-Pertua Negeri Tun Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar officiated the ceremony.
In his speech he emphasised that Sukma was a platform to develop and unearth young talents for the country.
“Always remember that investing in young athletes is not a waste, but a strategy that will surely yield results in the future!”
Cyclist Mohd Afi Danial Ramli, Terengganu’s gold medallist, who won the men’s criterium earlier said: “When I walked in, I could feel the energy from the crowd and it was definitely an unforgettable experience.
“It was nice to see all the states come together in one place.”
