MOST people associate skipping workouts as child’s play, but there is more than just leaping over the rope as it swings under the feet. Apart from maintaining health, it is fast becoming a popular sport.
In the higher education circle, Politeknik Mersing (PMJ) in Johor is taking the initiative to promote skip rope as a regional sport.
The polytechnic’s involvement in the sport began when it was offered to represent Johor in the national-level Health Promotion In Learning Institute Convention (HePiLI) last year.
Organised by the Health Ministry, the three-day event was held at the International Islamic University in Gombak, Selangor.
Since then, PMJ had taken big strides to seriously participate in skip rope events by forming the PMJumpers team, and collaborating with the Malaysia Jump Rope Federation (Marsis) and Johor Rope Skipping Association (Jorsis).
The members of PMJumpers ― managed by team manager Mohd Fairullah Muhammadon and assistant Suraya Hani Kamarolzaman ― trained with a Jorsis coach before participating in competitions. They also showcased their skills at major events.
In less than a year, PMJumpers grew from six male to 40 male and female members.
“Training is held daily in the evening. We also plan to continue recruiting more members and promote opportunities to become a successful skip rope athlete,” said Fairullah.
Besides HePiLI 2018, PMJumpers had participated in the National Sports Day programme in Selangor, the Johor state open speed, open freestyle and rhythmic skip rope competitions.
The team also represented the country, particularly the Johor youth, in the Asean Jump Rope Championship in Bangkok last year, and a competition this year held in conjunction with World Cancer Day at Universiti Teknologi Malaysia in Skudai.
At the Bangkok competition, which took place at Rangsit University, PMJumpers was represented by students Lukman Hanif Lajakarek, Amsyar Ridhwan Roslan, Amirul Faiq Harun and Muhamad Syazahin Mohd Salleh ― all aged between 18 and 21.
There were 10 countries participating, namely Malaysia, Kazakhstan, Iran, India, Hong Kong, Thailand, Indonesia, South Korea, China and Singapore, and the PMJ team walked away with two silver medals and a bronze.
“Such tournaments make PMJumpers a role model for other students and promote skip rope as a sport. And hopefully, we can produce athletes of international quality,” said Lukman Hanif.
PMJ director Hassan Siraj, who is the patron of PMJumpers, said he aimed to make the polytechnic a hub for the sport in Johor, with PMJumpers taking on the lead role of coaches.
As recognition of PMJumpers’ achievements, team manager Fairullah was recently appointed as an observer at the South Korean National Jump Rope Competition in Incheon.
One PMJ staff and two of its athletes had been appointed as facilitators for the skip rope programme in conjunction with the Young Doctors’ Club fitness course organised by the Melaka Health Department, which involved 100 students and 40 secondary school teachers in Melaka.
“This month, PMJumpers will be competing at the Singapore National Jump Rope & Open Championship 2019, and the international skip rope competition in Belgium in October.
“We hope to become pioneers in skip rope among polytechnics in Malaysia. We have also opened our membership to the community and other higher-learning institutions that are interested,” said Fairullah.