Filipina dynamite decks Miri sluggers

The Borneo Post Online

Miri women’s team had no answer to the hitting and pitching power of a Filipina dynamite who played for Brunei Muara, the winners of the softball competition in the 8th National Sports Festival in Brunei.

The sluggers from Miri Baseball and Softball Association looked well on their way to the gold medal until they came up against the fire power of Charlotte Degoma Besosa in the last three innings.

The Filipina ‘import’ single-handedly turned the game around when both teams were tied at 13-13 with Brunei Muara batting at the bottom of the seventh inning.

With all bases loaded and high expectations to deliver, Besosa took the pressure well in her stride, hitting a home run to seal victory by four runs (17-13), leaving the Miri lasses to rue their tough luck over a victory that slipped through their grasp.

Miri were as far ahead as 10-1 in the third inning when a local pitcher was throwing for Brunei Muara. But the tables quickly turned when Besosa took over the subsequent innings, culminating in her match-winning homer.

Miri ladies chief coach Peter Kuan nevertheless was happy with the performance of the players.

“It’s a good experience for them to play against the formidable Charlotte. The Filipina is among the best in Asean,” he said.

The match was good exposure for the players who would be representing Sarawak in the 34th Malaysia Open from August 16 to 19, he added.

Miri Ladies Bagged Silver in PSK Ke 8

The Gold medallist of the men's category and the bronze medallist of the women category- RBA men and ladies softball teams.

The Gold medallist of the women's category and the silver medallist in the men category- Brunei Muara men and ladies softball teams.

Belait District table tennis team bagged three of the seven gold medals contested in the Table Tennis event of the 8th Pesta Sukan Kebangsaan, yesterday afternoon.

Belait's first medal came from the team event where it took gold followed by Temburong which took silver and Brunei-Muara District bagged the bronze.

Foo Su shan partnering ting Siew Chien earned Belait another gold in the women's doubles event. Silver medal went to Lee Wen Yee with Joanna Lim Suk Chin of Temburong. Third place was shared by Brunei-Muara's Goh Jia Yih with Ti Li Ying and Siti Norintan Hj Bagul partnering Nur Hazirah.

The third gold of Belait district also come from the women event, of the singles category whereby Foo Su Shan single-handedly destroyed Deneice Chin of Brunei Association of Banks, 11-9,11-3 and 11-5

The rest of the gold medals were split between Brunei-Muara district and MS ABDB where each team ran away with two medals.

Brunei-Muara District took gold in the men's team category. Temburong district bagged silver and MS ABDB grabbed bronze.

In the mixed doubles, Brunei Muara reigned supreme again when Mohd Khairuddin Manaf partnering Lim Mei Jean won the gold medal. Silver medal went to Cheng Eng Khen/Deneice Chin of Brunei Association of Banks while the bronze medal was shared by Belait's Lei Jian Yu/Koh Mei Ling and Tutong's Mohd Farid-Ihzamry Md Noor and Tee Siew Lee.

MS ADBD's Pengiran Md Sufian Bin Pg Hj Ibrahim with his counterpart Hj Abd Momin Hj Mohd Amin came back from a set down to beat Kamis Hj Mumin and his partner Hj Rosli Hj Yusop 10-12, 12-10,11-7 and 11-6 in the men's doubles to snatch the gold medal.

The bronze medal was shared by Nelait's team of Tan To Ming with Sammuel Revales and Temburong team of Ang Wee Thiam and Lim Chong Yan.

In the men's singles MS ADBD's Pengiran Md Sufian bin Pg Hj Ibrahim overpowered Sammuel Revales 11-9,11-5,11-9 to grab gold medal. Third place was shared by Liew Bing Vei and Mohd Abd Fizhar Manaf, both from Brunei Muara district.

Meanwhile in the softball event, RBA softball team took gold in the men's category after beating Brunei Muara 4-1 in the final. Third place went to Kuala Belait.

The gold medal in the ladies category went to Brunei Muara District, Miri took silver and RBA took Bronze.

Women’s softball team can go all the way

Borneo Post online

The women’s team of the Miri Baseball and Softball Association is confident of finishing in the top two positions at the 8th National Sports Festival in Brunei.

This optimism of the association’s chairman Ishak Abdullah is based on the team’s preparation and its fourth placing at the 33rd Malaysia National Softball Open in Kuala Terengganu in June last year.

“The players have undergone a three-week intensive training. We are confident of taking the gold or silver,” he said yesterday.

However, in the men’s section, Ishak expects a tough fight from Muara and Temburong, saying these teams are the strongest in Brunei.

“Although our men’s team had three weeks of intensive training, they could still expect a tough fight from these two Brunei sides, he added.

According to Ishak, both Muara and Temburong are very motivated, playing a tournament every month to stay in top shape.

“We should be able to finish in the top four,” he said.

Softball is among the 23 sports at festival which starts today.

The others are badminton, netball, basketball, football, volleyball, chess, cue sports, golf, hockey, karate, cycling, boat racing, fencing, athletics, silat, ping pong, rugby, water sports, sepak takraw, taekwondo and tennis.

First organised in 1981, the festival is aimed at encouraging participants to lead a healthy lifestyle and improve their playing standards, as well as identifying and grooming talents to represent the country.

A total of 651 medals are at stake this year – 198 gold, 198 and silver and 255 bronze.

Ishak said this was the first time a men and a women’s team from the association were being fielded.

After the festival, a Sarawak team will be picked for the 34th Malaysia National Softball Open in Kuala Lumpur from August 16 to 19.

MBSA officially Registered

Finally, after 2 years of registration, The application is finally approved by the Registrar of Societies.

....more to come later.

Neighbour Miri to join Pesta Sukan Kebangsaan

Making a speech: Pengiran Sabri Pengiran Haji Mohamad, co-deputy chairman of the 8th Pesta Sukan Kebangsaan (PSK) during a press conference at the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports in Berakas yesterday. Picture: Jason Thomas

Jason Thomas
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

Thursday, June 12, 2008

THIS year's edition of the Pesta Sukan Kebangsaan (PSK) which starts next Saturday will include foreign participation from Miri marking the first time the organisers have extended an invitation to a contingent from a neighbouring country.

In addition to providing a tougher playing field for the other 12 contingents, the tournament's co-deputy chairman Pg Sabri Pg Hj Mohamad also said that the participation of Miri in the 8th edition of the competition would also force the Brunei athletes to improve their game.

"Miri will only be participating in softball though, but we still expect them to increase the level of competitiveness of the event," said Pg Sabri during a press-conference at the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports in Berakas yesterday.

"This is the first time we have sent an invite to a foreign contingent, and we hope that this (foreign participation) will be the norm in years to come," he added.

First organised in 1981, the tournament is aimed at encouraging the participants to lead a healthy lifestyle and to improve the level of sports in the country.

The event is also used as a platform to identify potential talent amongst the athletes and provide them with training if they are selected to represent the country.

This year's edition of the tournament will see 23 sports being competed; Badminton, Netball, Basketball, Softball, Football, Volleyball, Chess, Cue Sports, Football, Golf, Hockey, Karate, Cycling, Boat Racing, Fencing, Athletics, Silat, Ping Pong, Rugby, Water Sports, Sepak Takraw, Taekwando and Tennis.

A total of 198 gold, 198 silver and 255 bronze medals will be up for grabs this year.

Though the opening ceremony is only next Saturday, the tournament unofficially kicks off today with the basketball competition at the Batu Bersurat basketball court in Gadong.The Brunei Times