Tenom: SJKC Kong Min and SM Chung Hwa Tenom successfully defended their overall titles at the 13th Tenom District Inter-School Karate Championship 2026, held at the SM Chung Hwa Hall recently.
SJKC Kong Min retained the primary school overall championship after collecting nine gold, six silver and four bronze medals, repeating last year’s success.
SM Chung Hwa Tenom also maintained its dominance in the secondary school category with 10 gold, seven silver and six bronze medals.
In the primary school division, SK St. Anthony finished runner-up with one silver and one bronze medal. At the same time, SK St. Pius and SK Melalap shared third place with one silver medal each.
SMK Tenom emerged runner-up in the secondary school category with four gold, eight silver and four bronze medals, followed by SM Tshung Tsin in third with three gold medals. SMK Chinta Mata placed fourth, followed by SMK Kemabong, SMK Entabuan and SMK St. Anthony.
Tenom MP Riduan Rubin officiated the championship.
In his speech, Riduan congratulated the organisers and organising committee for successfully hosting the high-impact championship, describing it as an excellent platform for young athletes to showcase their talents and improve their skills.
He also praised the participants for their strong commitment. He acknowledged the unwavering support of parents, teachers and coaches, whom he described as key contributors to sports development in the district.
Riduan said championships such as this help uncover new karate talent and provide athletes with opportunities to represent Tenom, Sabah and Malaysia at higher-level competitions in the future.
He reminded participants that the true value of competition lies not only in winning, but also in demonstrating sportsmanship, discipline, resilience and strong character throughout the tournament.
The championship featured Kumite (sparring), individual Kata, three-person team Kata for both primary and secondary school categories, as well as men’s and women’s open sparring events. Athletes from 14 primary and secondary schools across the district took part.
The annual championship not only served as a platform for healthy competition among young athletes but also reflected the growing development of karate in Tenom through encouraging participation.
The organisers expressed appreciation to all participating schools, individuals and companies whose support contributed to the successful staging of the event.
Special thanks were extended to Tenom MP Riduan Rubin, Yea Foh Kedai Kopi & Teh, Kilang Kopi Tenom Cap Fatt Choi and Puan Loo Mei Fong for their financial contributions and sponsorship.