Jackie Wong postponed studies to prepare for SEA Games

He sacrificed his studies so that he can have the best preparation for the 2017 Kuala Lumpur SEA Games, and last night Jackie Wong Siew Cheer proved that he made a right decision when he emerged as a new SEA Games record holder in the men's hammer throw event and contributed a gold medal for Malaysia.

His father Andrew Wong Ling Biu hailed Jackie's determination in that he even postponed his final year studies in Agriculture Business at Universiti Putra Malaysia by going for intensive training in South Korea ahead of the Games in a bid to bring gold for Malaysia's contingent this time around.

After being contented with the bronze medal on three occasions since the 2011 edition in Palembang, Indonesia, Jackie eventually ended Malaysia's 16-year drought for the gold medal in the event, after Wong Tee Kue last won the gold in the 2001 edition at the same venue.

The decision also saw the 25-year-old athlete from Sarikei rewriting the national record made by him at the Korea Open last June with a throw of 65.34 metres.

"He is a very disciplined boy and I believed that he can conquer the event like what we have seen here ...I am proud of his great and sweet achievement and he did that in front of me " said Andrew, who is also the Member of Parliament for Sarikei.

Having spent most of his childhood days in farming by helping out his father, Jackie had inadvertently built up his strength by doing some rough work week in week out that led him to taste the historic victory at the National Stadium in Bukit Jalil.

"He was exposed to so much rugged work during his childhood days and you can see the result, that is winning gold and breaking the national record," Andrew saidAsked on how Jackie got involved in the event, Andrew said initially his son was participating in the shot put before he found out that there were so many in it that joined the event when he was in primary school.

"Then, he made up his mind to try out the hammer throw before he discovered that he can go far in the event," he said.

-- BERNAMA