Ling (front row, sixth right) with chef-de-mission Datuk Lee Kim Shin (fifth right), team officials and athletes at Sukma 2014 in Perlis.
A STRICT teacher produces excellent students – this is what wushu coach Lydia Ling Ung Hee has been fervently subscribing to over the past 21 years to help Sarawak turn out national and international champions in the martial art.
Ling strongly believes in instilling a high level of discipline in her students as it not only helps them to improve their wushu skills but also develop good character.
“When students attend my class, they have to learn the 10 Commandments of wushu and make respect for their teacher the top priority.
“They must also have good learning attitude and train regularly to achieve excellence in their sport,” the 54-year-old said.
Ling who started coaching wushu in 1999, helped to lay the foundation for the martial art at the grassroots level by conducting classes in several schools in Kuching.
Participants of the Inter-School Wushu Competition at Chung Hua Primary School No. 4 last year.
These included Chung Hua Primary Schools No. 1 to 6, SJK Sungai Tapang and SMK Kuching High which served as a training ground to groom champions.
Diana Bong Siong Lin, currently a coach with the Sarawak State Sports Council, is the most illustrious of Ling’s students.
The Mass Communications graduate from Universiti Putra Malaysia represented the country and won many medals in the international arena such as the World Wushu Championship, the Asian Games, the SEA Games and the Asian Wushu Championship.
Wushu athletes celebrate their achievements in 2008 Sukma in Terengganu.
Other names who have done the state and country proud include Choo Ee Wei, Choo Hong Wei, Jong Yen Lu, Chong Yin Choo, Chung Wei Li and Chung Ming Ming.
Those who bagged medals in Sukma include Chan Song Cong, Chan Yee Ryo, Kimberly Goh Yin Ying, Thian Ai Ling and Lau Hui Wei, currently a member of the state elite coaching team.
The more recent Sukma champions and medalists include Elvic Bong Qian Zheng, Clement Thian Fung Seng, Lee Hui Xian and Yong Arifah Khairul Kok.
Qian Zheng and Fung Seng had also represented Malaysia in the World Junior Wushu Championship and won medals.
Ling’s contributions to wushu development in Sarawak were recognised by the State government which awarded her the Anugerah Belia Sukan in 2010 and the Ahli Bintang Sarawak (ABS) in 2014.
Ling receives the Ahli Bintang Sarawak (ABS) award in 2014.
“I’m deeply grateful for the strong support from parents, students and the Wushu Federation of Sarawak.
“Without the understanding of especially the parents, I will not be what I am today nor continue to coach.
“I strongly believe in good communication and understanding between coach, students, parents and officials,” she said.
Ling stressed support is also vital from schools, the Sarawak Education Department and the State government through the Sarawak Sports Corporation and the Sarawak State Sports Council (MSNS).
Her advice to young coaches: Don’t let your emotions overcome you when dealing with parents and it’s very important to discuss problems with them.
Ling recalled in the early days, the Wushu Federation of Sarawak (WFS) conducted talent scouting in Sibu and Miri and groomed many students into champions.
She had been spending out of pocket to support potential wushu athletes from Sibu and Miri – by providing accommodation, food and transportation – until the parents started paying for food and MSNS rented a house for outstation athletes in 2009.
“My students have been winning medals in Sukma, National Wushu Championship, Kementerian Pendidikan Malaysia (KPM) Wushu Championship, World Junior Championship, SEA Games, Asian Games and Asian Wushu Championship.
“Their achievements are the greatest reward for me. They have gone on to become successful people in society as well,” Ling noted.
She was a part-time MSNS coach, looking after the Wushu Development Centre in Kuching before being promoted to be a Centre of Excellence coach in 2000 and Elite Centre coach in 2002.
Ling accompanied the Sarawak team to Sukma for the first time in Penang in 2000.
She was also a member of the state Sukma coaching team until Sukma 2016 in Sarawak.
During Sukma 2000 to 2016, she doubled as a team cook which earned her the famous moniker – Madam Ling Mobile Kitchen.
“One of the problems during Sukma is food poisoning, and to avoid this, it’s vital to provide our athletes with safe home-cooked food,” she said.
Ling, from Sibu but later moved to Simanggang (Sri Aman), first represented Sarawak in the 1990 National Wushu Championship where she captured two gold medals in the 42-style taijiquan and 42-style taijijian.
Ling receives her prize at the presentation dinner of the National Wushu Championship 1990.
She went on to dominate the two events in the National Championship until 1998 and finished a respectable 12th out of 200 competitors in taijijian and taijiquan in the 4th World Wushu Championships in Rome, Italy, in 1997.
“The coaching methods today may differ with the introduction of sports science but we still need to follow the basics and develop good learning attitude and discipline.
“I’ll continue to help groom more wushu athletes for the state in whatever way I can,” she said.