PENANG, June 2015 – A Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) athlete, Geh Cheow Lin, 20, has made the country proud by winning two silver medals in the sailing event at the recently concluded 28^th SEA Games held at the Singapore National Sailing Centre.

Cheow Lin won two silver medals in the female ‘SB20 match racing’ and ‘fleet racing’ events together with her instructor.

The first-year student in the School of Educational Studies (PPIP) USM, majoring in Special Education said the victory has given her greater confidence to take part in future competitions if she is selected.

“This are my first medals ever since I started competing in this event nine years ago and the win will motivate and inspire me to work even harder for future successes,” she said in a special interview here.

She believed that her achievement would change the perspectives of others on the sport of sailing and hoped that more students can put USM and Malaysia in the limelight in the international arena by participating in various sports events.

Cheow Lin said, her father Geh Thuan Tek, 53, was her “backbone” in providing the support and encouragement for her to strive and succeed in this sport.

“Although there were plenty of challenges especially with the ongoing examination sessions, I truly believe that with an effective time management, one can excel both in sports and studies,” said the Penang-born athlete further.

Cheow Lin too thanked the university especially PPIP, USM Sports and Recreation Centre and the whole USM community in praying for her success during the SEA Games.

Overall, the national contingent has collected 186 medals including 62 gold, 58 silver and 66 bronze medals from the 35 sports contested throughout the 11 days of competition, which started on 6 June 2015.

The national athletes had displayed an outstanding performance at the 2015 SEA Games when they exceeded the total number of medals collected in each of the last three SEA Games - 40 gold medals in 2009 in Laos, 2011 in Indonesia (58 gold) and 2013 in Myanmar (43 gold).

Translation: Mazlan Hanafi Basharudin/Text: Siti Naquiah Abdillah/Photos: Courtesy of Geh Cheow Lin​