BJSS Newcomer Shines At Combined Events Meet

By Y.P.SIVAM
metrospt@thestar.com.my Photos by FAIHAN GHANI

ROOKIE R. Kirthana showed that she had made tremendous progress when she dominated the Bukit Jalil Sports School (BJSS) International Combined Events (ICE) championships at the National Sports Council (NSC) training centre in Bukit Jalil recently.

Kirthana, who joined the BJSS in July, was the overall winner in the girls’ Under-14 age group.

The lanky Perak-born lass, a Form Two student, was the winner in long jump, high jump and 100m, second in the 100m hurdles and shot put and ninth in the 800m.

A natural: Kirthana (centre) leading the pack in the Under-14 medley relay.

She accumulated 4,460 points to finish ahead of 27 other participants. In second place was Kirthana’s teammate Ling Wen Yi on 4,130 points.

Both Kirthana and Wen Yi contributed to BJSS emerging as the overall champions with 16,080 points in the team event.

The other members of the team were Munirah Ha’ali and Intan Safinas Samad.

Besides the girls’ Under-14 overall title, BJSS were champions in the girls’ Under-13 and boys’ Under-13 categories.

They were second to SMK Tun Hussein Onn in the boys’ Under-14 age group.

The two-day competition, an intiative by BJSS with support by Milo and Mizuno, was to provide a platform for Form One and Form Two students from BJSS to take part against their counterparts from other sports schools in Malaysia and invited teams.

BJSS principal Marina Chin said they had invited teams from Australia and Singapore.

“We are pleased with our students’ progress. Our coaches will get the chance to evaluate each student’s progress,’’ said Marina.

Participants in the Under-13 groups had to take part in five events — 80m hurdles, high jump, shot putt, long jump and 800m while those in the Under-14 age group in six events —100m hurdles, high jump, shot putt, 100m, long jump and 800m.

The final event in the two-day championships was the medley relay. BJSS were champions in both the Under-13 and Under-14 age groups.

BJSS coach K. Shankaralingam certainly had reasons to be pleased with their students’ results.

“We had set personal best as targets for them. They clocked impressive times and displayed excellent commitment. We are happy with the athletes’ overall progress,’’ said Shankaralingam.

He was particularly impressed with Kirthana’s progress.

“We had spotted her when she was a student at the SMK Gunung Rapat in Ipoh. That was in July. Within a short period, Kirthana has shown a lot of improvement,’’ said Shankaralingam.

Nestle Products sports marketing manager Ng Ping Loong said the championships was well organised and created opportunities for juniors to gauge their progress.

“The Form One and Form Two students do not get a chance to take part in other age group competitions. The BJSS’ efforts should be lauded and encouraged,’’ added Ping Loong.

2011 Results

Day 2 (Session 2)

Day 2 (Session 1)

Day 1 (Session 2)

Day 1 (Session 1)

Team Managers' Meeting

Place: Olympic Meeting Room

Time: 5.30pm

BJSS To Evaluate Athletes’ Performances During The Two-day Meet

By Y.P. SIVAM
metrospt@thestar.com.my
Photos by CHAN TAK KONG

IT WILL be evaluation time for the athletes from Bukit Jalil Sports School (BJSS) when they take part in the International Combined Events (ICE) championships at the National Sports Council (NSC) training centre in Bukit Jalil on Nov 26 and 27.

The 16 Form One and Two students would be up against their counterparts not only from Australia, Sing-apore and Thailand but also four schools — Tengku Mahkota Ismail Sports School, SMK Tun Hussein Onn, SMK Tabuan Jaya and SMK Sri Sentosa — who have athletics training programmes.

The competition is for the Under-13 and Under-14 age group. And each team will have eight representatives — four boys and four girls — in each of the two age groups.

This is the way: The athletes getting some tips on hurdling from coach Shankaralingam.

The athletes in the BJSS contingent are Timodius Fidelis, Muhamad Irfan Aiman Mat Hasan, Muhammad Adi Danial Salam, Ibrahim Saldam, Putra Azrul Syazwan Azman, Mohd Qayyum Mohd Izlan, Mohd Nur Iman Faisal Shukri, Muhammad Ridzuwan Mat Kasan, Malisha Nurkamaliah Mustaffa Kamal, Fatinnur Farisya Arman, Amera Shahfiqah Hasan, Amera Shahfizah Hasan, Ling Wen Yi, Munirah Haali, Intan Safinas Samad and R. Kirthana.

Unlike other athletics championships, all the participants will have to take part in all the individual events in the age group.

The five events for the Under-13 are 80m hurdles, high jump, shot putt, long jump and 800m while those in the Under-14 age group will line up for six events — 100m hurdles, high jump, shot putt, 100m, long jump and 800m.

Prizes will be awarded to the individual winners in each events. Points will be awarded and the team with the highest points will be declared the overall champions.

The BJSS teams are coached by K. Shankaralingam and Shahadan Jamaluddin, a former international.

Shahadan: The former international is part of the coaching team.

Shankaralingam said the championships were a platform for the athletes who were unable to take part in the Milo-Malaysian Schools Sports Council (MSSM) athletics championships.

“We started the ICE last year. Then we had a team from Singapore and local teams. BJSS emerged as the overall champions,’’ said Shankaralingam.

Some of the athletes had taken part in the Thailand Sports School Carnival and Western Australia Little Athletics championships.

In the ICE, Shankaralingam is once again expecting his charges to make their presence felt in the two-day championships.

“It is a big test to the athletes. They have been training regularly and have shown a lot of progress. The ICE will be the platform for them to match their rivals,’’ said Shankaralingam.

Organizing Committee Meeting 3/11

21 November 2011

10am

Commonwealth Meeting Room