SERDANG, Aug 18 — The heat couldn’t stop Selangor runner Jerusha Olive Jason from giving her home state a bronze medal in the SUKMA 1,500m women’s race at UPM Stadium here today.
Jerusha, who came home from Australia where she was attending university to join SUKMA, finished third in 4:59.100s behind her Federal Territories and Johor competitors.
The athlete admitted to needing some time to adjust to Malaysia’s weather after training in cooler conditions in Australia, but said it didn’t stop her from doing her best and accomplishing her dream to win Selangor a SUKMA medal.
“It was worth it for me to come back to Malaysia from Australia to join SUKMA. Even though the heat needed adjusting (to) … I am still Malaysian and this is my weather,” she told Media Selangor when met after the race.
She thanked her coaches and the state contingent for their help in her preparations for the tournament.
“Thank you to all, especially the coaches and the entire Selangor contingent, because without their help, I wouldn’t have gotten this medal,” Jerusha added.
At the same location, Selangor failed to get another medal from the men’s 1,500m race.
The state’s athletics camp closed out Day 3 of the championship with two medals — Jerusha’s bronze and Lim Mei Yin’s silver from the women’s 200m event.
Earlier today, Mei Yin overtook Terengganu’s Nor Aliya Najihah Muda to finish the 200m race in 24.86s, but fell short of another Terengganu runner Izzatul Musfirah Ahmad Kamal Azira, who took gold.
