(From left) Lau Chii Leong, Sarawak Taekwondo Association (PTNS) vice president Dato Sri Lau Kueng Chai and Wong pose for a photocall. — Photo courtesy of Wong Ing Sing
SIBU (Sept 25): Taekwondo coach Wong Ing Sing was among the 16 recipients of the Darjah Utama Yang Amat Mulia Bintang Kenyalang Sarawak, Pegawai Bintang Kenyalang (PBK).
He was conferred the PBK award by Yang di-Pertua Negeri Tun Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud during the investiture ceremony held at Astana Negeri on Thursday.
Wong, 48, has been actively involved in taekwondo ever since he was a student.
He was the champion of the 2014 and 2016 editions of The World Taekwondo Hanmadang (Asian Continent Championship).
For the 2014 edition, he was the world champion in the Fist Breaking (Senior III) category of the championship held in Korea and the world champion for the Side Back Kick Breaking category of the championship held in Nepal in 2016.
He was also a four-time national champion in both the lightweight and middleweight categories during the 1990s and was also a former Sukma gold medalist for taekwondo.
In 1996, he took up taekwondo coaching and has since produced countless outstanding athletes who have excelled in the Malaysia Games (Sukma) and international taekwondo tournaments such as the Chungcheon Korea Open 2019 where the athletes brought back two gold medals and one silver medal.
Wong said that he will continue to be involved in taekwondo, which has shaped him into who he is today.
“I am grateful to all those who have helped in one way or another to assist me in carrying out my duties as a local taekwondo coach,” he added.
Meanwhile, Lau Chii Leong, 29, was one of the 39 recipients conferred with Ahli Bintang Sarawak (ABS).
Lau is the coach of a weightlifting centre and has been actively involved in weightlifting activities here.