This past weekend, the much-anticipated 5th Kawan Athletics Championship unfolded with excitement and outstanding performances. The event brought together athletes, parents, coaches and friends, making it a memorable day filled with milestones and achievements.
Unfortunately, due to clashing schedules, our international friends from Dubai and Singapore were unable to join us this year. However, the Kawan spirit remained strong as we invited schools SMK Taman SEA and Nobel International School from Selangor and SMK Seri Hartamas from Kuala Lumpur to join us.
We have also invited schools and clubs that trained by Kawan Athletics to participate this Championship. These included SJKC Kuen Cheng 1, SJKC Salak South, SJKC Kuen Cheng 2, and Royal Selangor Club.
🏆 Celebrating Champions: Outstanding Sportswoman and Sportsman by Category 🏆
A special highlight of the championship was the recognition of our Best Sportswoman and Best Sportsman.
Best Sportswoman: Liyana Syaza (U9), Olivia Lee (U11), Zia Alisya (U12), Clarisse Lim (U15), Megan Lee (U17), Marie-Adorabelle Pei-Yuan (Open), Fathimath Iffath Mohmed (Parents)
Best Sportsman: Tan Xing Shen (U9), Ashton Yong (U11), Tan Hou Ren (U12), Avinaash A/L Kumaresan (U15), Nicholas Fong (U17), Lim Hong Xun (Open), Thomas Wong Tze Yung (Parents)
🎉Event Highlights in Numbers 🎉
Dynamic Attendance: Over 380+ attendees, including Kawan Athletics members, their families, friends, and guests from various clubs and schools
Generous Contributions: More than RM3,000 was raised by parents and coaches, funding Gold (RM25), Silver (RM15), and Bronze (RM10) medals for individuals, and RM100, RM60, and RM40 for relay teams. 💰🥇🥈🥉
Raising the Bar 🌟🏆: 11 records got broken, clearly showing the amazing improvement and strength of our athletes.
Local Connections: Welcoming friends from 7 schools and clubs.
Behind the Scenes Support: The event was made possible by the dedication of 30 volunteers and 7 Kawan Coaches, whose hard work ensured everything ran smoothly.
🌟Highlights of the Day🌟
New Records Set
The invited guests elevated the competition’s standards, and together, all athletes pushed themselves to their limits, resulting in 11 new records being established internally. It’s fantastic to see how the bar gets raised every year. Just when we think a record cannot be broken, our athletes show us otherwise with their incredible effort and determination.
First-Ever Standing Long Jump for U9
We introduced the Standing Long Jump for the U9 category this year, and both the young athletes and their coaches took on the challenge. Why mention the coaches? Because finding a jumping pit is no easy task—most stadiums are unavailable. Coaches got creative, teaching these young champs how to imagine sand while training. Seeing their excitement and determination on competition day made it all worthwhile. If there’s one lesson here, it’s that trying new things, even without prior experience, is the first step to success.
Parents' EcoBag-Spin Throw
Parents demonstrated their "hammer throw" skills using eco bags filled with water bottles, bringing plenty of laughs and unforgettable moments. A big shoutout to Coach Kah Lin for coming up with this crazy idea and to Pei Yuan, who experimented tirelessly to perfect this event. All the bags were sewn with velcro to secure the bottles—special thanks to Pei Yuan for her effort in sewing and bringing this unique event to life! This event turned out to be a crowd favorite, with 10 moms and 3 dads signing up, eager to release their "inner thrower." It’s not every day parents get such a fun opportunity, and the smiles and laughter truly stole the show. Thank you to everyone who made it so memorable!
Relay Events While we missed the opportunity to host our international relay guests, the relay events remained a highlight. Our Team A and Team B competed against the strong teams from the invited guests, while a separate internal relay event brought athletes from different teams within Kawan, particularly those who may not have competed or trained together before. These athletes, from different experience level, were tasked to form their own relay lineups, fostering new friendships and teamwork. Watching them shouting out new names, teaming up with unfamiliar faces, and building bonds was heartwarming and perfectly reflected the Kawan Spirit.
Another memorable highlight was the parents' relay, where moms and dads braved the rain to pass the baton. It's not every day you see parents running in the rain—we bet they had just as much fun as their kids! Let’s hope no one needed a MC for work the next day!
🙌Gratitude and Acknowledgments🙌
We would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to our sponsors, including Merak Consultancy and Services (M) Sdn. Bhd., for sponsoring the electronic timing system. This long-awaited upgrade brought accuracy and professionalism to our championship. Additionally, a big thank you to Kejap Food for sponsoring 120 breakfasts for our internal members, and to Dapur Omak, Nyonya Aurora, and Mummy Elizza for providing delicious meals and snacks throughout the day.
To the volunteers, coaches, and team managers – your hard work behind the scenes made this championship a success. From setting up early in the morning to managing the event stations, your efforts were invaluable. Thank you very much!
A Day to Remember
The 5th Kawan Athletics Championship was more than just a competition, it has always been like that for us, and will always remain this way. Because celebration of progression, sportsmanship and togetherness are way more important than just winning. Every participant—whether an athlete, parent, coach, or friends—played a part in creating unforgettable memories. We are proud of everyone who took part and gave their best, proving once again that it’s not a race; it’s a journey.
Let's carry this momentum forward and continue striving for excellence and more friendship. Until next year, let's keep spreading the Kawan spirit of love, kindness, and support! Thank you for being part of the Kawan Family.
This is not the last race of the year, we still have one more competition coming out next month, just before the school holiday. Check it out below.
Enjoy! Remember to tag us (Kawan Athletics) on your social media!