By Martin Yee
KUCHING: For years, Sarawak has been searching for the next ‘Flying Dayak’, a sprinter like Watson Nyambek, to shine in Malaysia’s 100-metre (m) event.
Since Watson faded from the spotlight, the state has struggled to produce a national-level sprinter of similar stature.
In recent Malaysia Games (SUKMA) competitions, Sarawak had little to celebrate, with no medals in the men’s 100 m since Jonathan Nyepa’s silver in the 2016 edition held in Kuching.
In the women’s category, Ormillah Octavia won a bronze in the 100 m at the 2024 SUKMA, also hosted in Sarawak.
National record holder, Khairul Hafiz Jantan, of Melaka set a time of 10.18 seconds (secs), while Jonathan clocked 10.34 secs.
Since then, Sarawak had failed to produce another medallist in the men’s 100 m – until now, perhaps.
At the recent 2024 SUKMA, Sarawak sprinters, Dylan Leo Saran Stephen and Benenickt Divet, competed in the 100 m. The latter recorded a time of 10.92 secs in the semi-finals.
Although the medal drought continued, there are promising signs that Sarawak’s sprinting fortunes may be turning.
Sarawak launched a sprint project decades ago, but despite the state’s reputation for producing sprinting talents, the programme failed to deliver the intended results. However, that may all come to a change.
A surge in sub-11-second performances at the MSS Sarawak Schools Meet in Sibu and the Sarawak Open has reignited hope.
Apart from Jonathan, who holds the Sarawak 100-m record of 10.28 secs, seven new sprinters have emerged, all clocking below the 11-second mark.
These new talents, discovered in 2024, bring renewed optimism for Sarawak to re-establish itself on the national sprinting scene, especially with the 2026 SUKMA on the horizon.
Expectations are high for medals, possibly even gold, in the 100 m, 200 m, and sprint relay events.
In this year’s MSS Sarawak and Sarawak Open, several sprinters crossed the 11-second threshold.
Dylan Leo, who competed at SUKMA, recorded a personal best of 10.57 secs, just behind the 10.53 secs set by SUKMA champion, Danish Iftikhar Roslee.
Phelban Bunyat Peter Ngumbang topped the MSS meet in Sibu with a time of 10.60 secs.
Dylan Chu Pu Young clocked 10.69 secs to finish second in the Sarawak Open.
Mohd Nur Rahman Mohd Saifullah placed third in the Sarawak Open with a time of 10.81 secs.
Kevin Sze ran 10.82 secs at the MSS meet and 10.95 secs to finish fourth at the Sarawak Open.
Luis Lexander (Kidurong, Bintulu) and Yusri Mohd (Kuching) both registered identical times of 10.99 secs, finishing third and fourth respectively at the MSS meet.
Sarawak athletics coach, Lim Teck Leong, is enthusiastic about the newfound depth in sprinting talent.
“For so long, people in Sarawak lamented the absence of sprinters in Watson’s class, but now we have seven potential top-class runners waiting in the wings,” Leong said.
“At last, we’ve found a crop of quality sprinters after years of searching, thanks to the presence of dedicated coaches throughout Sarawak. In the past, many athletes were left to train on their own.”
He stressed that support from the Sarawak State Sports Council is essential to help these athletes reach their full potential.
Lim noted that Dylan Leo and Dillon train under him in Miri, while Phelban Bunyat and Luis Lexander are coached at SMK Kidurong, Bintulu.
Kevin Sze trains under a coach from China in Kuching.
Meanwhile, Yusri Mohd and Mohd Nur Rahman are from Kuching and coached by the Axis Athletics Club.
“They must have a comprehensive development programme that includes financial support and overseas exposure,” Leong said. “That kind of structure is vital for their long-term growth.”
A former national long and triple jumper athlete himself, Leong also oversees the sprint training camp in Miri.
He confirmed the recent results were electronically timed using a Seiko timing system borrowed from the Sarawak Amateur Athletics Association.
He reiterated that the performances show clear progress and potential.
“The results prove that our athletes can compete at a high level. With structured coaching now available across Sarawak, we’re seeing steady improvements,” he added.
He cited the progress of Dillon Chu, who had a clocked in a personal best of 11.48 secs when he was first introduced to Leong.
After a year of training, Chu clocked 10.69 secs. He believes Chu is capable of dipping into the 10.40 secs range based on the current trajectory of his growth.
“Chu moved to Miri to study at Curtin University and turns up for training every day,” said Leong. “What’s most important is his commitment. He’s a hardworking athlete.”
Leong, who also serves as chief coach for the upcoming Borneo Games, currently oversees about 20 athletes in Miri.
This includes national long jumper, Brendan Ting, who is in the SEA Games squad but trains outside the national setup.
Although over-aged for SUKMA, Brendan is targeting a 16-m mark in the triple jump, surpassing his personal best of 15.62 m.
Leong recently established the Kairos Athletics Club, which was officially registered. He plans to launch an outreach programme targeting Ulu Baram to scout and develop athletic talent in Sarawak’s rural interior.
