80 Show Off Skill At X-treme Sports

Show of skill: Inline skater Fariq Mohammad Esa performing a trick on the death trail obstacle.

Skateboarders thrill with performance but it was an eight-year-old who stole the show

EIGHTY youths battled it out in the two-day Penang X-Jam Sports (extreme sports) 2007 event at

the Penang Municipal Park.

Penang X-treme Sports Association president Ahmad Fadzil Musa said this year saw more participants compared to the last.

He said the competition, attracted teenagers who are fans of such sports.

"The youngest participant was as young as eight. The oldest was 25.

This year, some Singaporeans and Thais also competed," he said.

A total of 24 participants also registered for a BMX bike competition.

He said on the first day, all participants had to go through preliminary rounds while the final was held on the second.

Penang Municipal Council president Datuk Abu Bakar Hassan gave away prizes to winners in the three categories.

The champion in the skateboard category was Mohd Firdaus Abdul Rahman of Singapore who took home RMI,000.

Second place went to Mohd Fuad Saifullah from Kuala Lumpur who won RM800 in prize money while third place winner Mohd Fikri Zulkifli also from Kuala Lumpur took home RM500.

In the roller board Online) category, Nik Suhaili Bahari of Sarawak won the first prize of RM1, 000.

Second was Mohd Ilman Mohd Mokhtar of Kajang bagging RM800 while Mohd Nasrul Amir Mansor of Kuala Lumpur was third taking home RM500.

In the BMX bicycle event, Ahmad Saiful Aziz of Sungai Petani was the champ, pocketing RM1, 000.

Second place and RM800 went to Sheikh Mohd Taslim Sheikh Razif of Kedah and third was Rodianto Mazlan also from Kedah who took RM500.

There were fourth and fifth prizes of RM300 and RM200 respectively with sixth to tenth place consolation prizes of RM100 each.

Last year's skateboard category champion Thong Kar San, 25, of Kuala Lumpur did not disappoint though he failed to defend the title.

"It is common in sports. There are ups and downs," he said, adding that he would train harder and hope to win the next competition.

Mohd Irwan Latif said this was his second time taking part in the event.

Mohd Iffan Mokhtar, 20, from Kuala Lumpur, said he tried his best but failed to live up to his expectations.

"It does not matter much that I lost, it is the sporting spirit and participation that count the most," he added.

Eight-year-old Koya Miyasaka who is the youngest participant impressed all with his skill.

“I enjoy skating but skateboarding is more exiting," he said, adding that he started skateboarding at the age of four.

His 16 year-old brother Yuki Miyasaka also competed in the same category.

The competition was co-organised by Penang Municipal Council, Penang Tourism Action Council, Penang Youth and Sports Department and Penang X-treme Sports Association.

Runs in the family: Koya's brother Yuki shows off his skills.


Taking Off: Mohammad Faris goes airborne over the bank obstacle.