World Tower Run Champion, World Tenpin Bowling Champ Sweep Selangor Sportsman, Sportswoman Awards

SHAH ALAM, Oct 18 (Bernama) -- World tower run champion Soh Wai Ching and tenpin bowling world champion Natasha Mohamed Roslan were today crowned as 2023 Selangor Sportsman and Sportswoman, taking home RM10,000 in cash, an accompanying trophy and a certificate. 

The award was presented by Selangor Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari at a ceremony held at the Perak Jubilee Hall, Sultan Abdul Aziz here.

Speaking to reporters afterwards, Natasha, who is also the 2023 National Sportswoman, said she did not expect to be selected considering many other athletes who were no less great in contributing to the Selangor sports arena. 

“This award will certainly serve as a motivation and inspiration to continue my pursuit of success,” she said.

Meanwhile, the President of the Malaysian Tower Running Association, Ravinder Singh, who represented Soh, expressed his joy and pride at the world champion's achievement for the recognition he received even though it was not a sport contested at the Olympic level.  

Revealing Soh's struggle in the early stages as he had started on his own, Ravinder hopes that more young people will venture into the sport because the country has Soh who is a good example and role model to follow.

Tey Hong Yu from table tennis was picked as the Most Promising Sportsman award while the Most Promising Sportswoman award went to Yong An Tung from cycling.

Gerald Samuel from tenpin bowling walked away with the Best Men’s Coach award and the Best Women’s Coach award went to Tan Ee Shya from basketball while the President of the Selangor Karate-do Association Datuk M. Panneerselvam was honoured with the 2023 Sports Leadership Award.

At the same event, the state government through the Selangor Sports Council also handed out an incentive amount of RM1.5 million to athletes and officials who successfully won medals at the 2024 Sarawak Malaysian Games (SUKMA).

Swimming became the highest incentive recipient with RM322,900 while star swimmer Andrew Goh Zheng Yin emerging as the highest recipient of incentives for the individual category after receiving RM52,000.

In the 2024 SUKMA hosted by Sarawak, Selangor lived up to their target by finishing third overall with 56 gold, 64 silver and 61 bronze medals. 

-- BERNAMA