KUCHING, Sept 3 — National wushu star Loh Jack Chang was crowned Sarawak Sportsman of the Year 2015/2016 Award at the biennial state sports awards presentation here last night.

He was picked based on his collection of one gold, silver and bronze medals each at the World Wushu Championship in 2015, and the same catch at the Singapore SEA Games in 2015.

Loh also won two gold medals at the First Asian Championship, and a silver at the Second World Wushu Championship last year.

Loh, 30, who is from Miri, received RM5,000 in cash and a trophy from Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas.

He beat the likes of swimming sensation 19-year-old Welson Sim Wee Sheng and taekwondo fighter Augustine Rudy Grocer for the top award.

Taekwondo athlete Nurul Hidayah Abdul Karim edged Malaysian diving icon Pandelela Rinong, and swimmers Erika Kong Chia Chia and Angela Chieng Chui Fei to win Sarawak Sportswoman of the Year award.

The 19-year-old Nurul won the awards based on her collections of nine gold medals in six taekwondo championships she took part in, including the Singapore SEA Games in 2015.

The Bintulu-based sportsman also received RM5,000 in cash and a trophy from Uggah.

Most Promising Sportsman of the Year award went to weightlifter Jerry Gawan, while Most Promising Sportswoman of the Year was won by table tennis player Alice Chang Li Sian, edging out national women hammer record holder Grace Wong Xiu Mei and taekwondo exponent Nurul Hafizza Mahdi.

Tenpin bowling athletes won big at the biennial awards presentation, grabbing the Best Coach Award (Jackson Ting Nik Soon), Sports Leadership Award (Sunny Si Poh Heng), Best Team Awards for both men and women categories, and Best Sports Association Award.

Sportsman for the Handicap Award went to swimmer Jamery Siga, and the Sportswoman for the Handicap Award was won by sprinter Nur Atirah Voon Abdullah.

State Secretary Tan Sri Morshidi Abdul Ghani was presented with the Special Leadership Award for his part as the organising committee chairman of the Malaysian Games 2016 in Sarawak.