The successful wushu team. —LOW BOON TAT/The Star
PETALING JAYA: Malaysia’s athletes from wushu and badminton who have been making the nation proud on the world stage in recent weeks were handsomely rewarded for their achievements.
The wushu team, who enjoyed a stellar outing at the World Championships in Brasilia last week by bagging five golds, one silver and two bronzes, earned a total of RM480,000 under the National Sports Incentive Scheme (Shakam).
Si Shin Peng was the biggest recipient, pocketing RM166,666.66 for winning gold in men’s qiangshu and jianshu, as well as bronze in the duilian team event.
Tan Cheong Min received RM146,666.66 after clinching gold in women’s nangun, gold in the women’s duilian team event and silver in women’s nandao.
Lee Jia Rong took home RM126,666.66 from her gold in women’s daoshu, gold in the women’s duilian team event and bronze in dunshu.
Pang Pui Yee earned RM26,666.66 for her contribution to the women’s duilian team gold, while Bryan Ti Kai Jie and Clement Ting Su Wei pocketed RM6,666.66 each from the duilian team bronze.
The National Sports Council (NSC) in a statement on Wednesday (Aug 10) explained that the rewards for the wushu athletes were higher as the World Championships are held once every two years.
“Individual gold medallists received RM80,000, silver RM40,000 and bronze RM20,000 as their world meet are held biennially. The same rates applied to team events with no more than four athletes.
“The incentives for badminton players differ as the World Championships are held annually, compared to the biennial staging for wushu."
Meanwhile, mixed doubles pair Chen Tang Jie and Toh Ee Wei were also rewarded with RM40,000 each in recognition of their historic triumph at the World Championships in Paris last month.
Women’s doubles duo Pearly Tan and M. Thinaah, who made history by becoming the first Malaysian women’s pair to reach the final and finish as runners-up at the World Championships, received RM20,000 each.
