PARA SWIMMER JIA TAK SHOWS HE'S MADE OF STERNER STUFF WITH A SILVER FINISH

By Farah Najihah Zuraimi

KUCHING, Sept 25 (Bernama) -- Sarawak para-swimmer Ng Jia Tak never lost the will to excel in whatever he does despite losing his right leg in a road accident in 2020.

And it was his will of steel that saw him deliver a silver for hosts Sarawak at the 2024 Malaysia Para Games (Para SUKMA) here today.

The 22-year-old also said that his attitude of ignoring the ridicule of others had made him a patient person as he tried to find a purpose by taking up swimming two years ago.

"I was taking my sister back from school on my motorcycle when I was involved in an accident in Batu Kawa in 2020. They had to amputate my right leg because of a severe infection.

"I was hospitalised for a month after the surgery. No doubt, sometimes I would be sad because I lost my right leg but I always tried to be cheerful and believed in myself and that's how I took up swimming seriously until I became a state swimmer,” he told Bernama after the medal presentation ceremony at the Pandelela Rinong Aquatic Centre.

Jia Tak clocked 1 minute and 36.55 seconds (s) to take silver in the men's 100-metre (m) backstroke S9 (physical impairment) category as Selangor's Muhammad Safwan Suhaimi clinched gold in 1:19.09s.

Muhammad Safwan's time is a new Games record as it erased the previous mark of 1:20.61s set by Sabah's Jaflee Jikol in the previous edition.

Sabah's Louis Simun took bronze in 1:43.02s. 

Jia Tak, the second of four siblings, was thrilled to bits after winning a silver in his maiden appearance in the biennial Games.

"Proud because (I) got a medal for Sarawak, my home ground. Even when I was competing just now, I kept telling myself ‘Go Sarawak Go’,” he said. 

-- BERNAMA