National fencer proud to represent university at Sukipt Games.
Nilai University (Nilai U) was among the 107 institutions of higher learning that competed at the recently concluded SUKIPT 2014 Games. Its athletes managed to bring back a total of one gold, one silver and three bronze medals, from the fencing and tennis arenas. The gold medal was won by Joshua Koh I Jie, a national fencer pursuing a Diploma in Agricultural Management at Nilai U.
“It was quite fun. It was my first time competing in SUKIPT and I was actually able to meet up with other national fencers who were representing other institutions,” smiles the 24-year old. “Competing against my national team mates made it feel like a training session but I took it very seriously nonetheless. After all, I was representing Nilai U and wanted to do my best to bring home a gold medal (in the epee category).”
National fencer Joshua Koh I Jie chose Nilai U because it has all the amenities allowing him to excel in his sport of fencing.
Joshua is a recipient of a scholarship from the Ministry of Education. The Petaling Jaya resident says it was a no-brainer for him to choose Nilai U as it is designated as a ‘Pusat Sukan Tumpuan – Fencing’ by the Ministry of Education. (It is because of this expertise that Nilai U was tasked with co-organising the fencing tournament for Sukipt 2014). “Nilai U was the obvious choice as it has all the facilities for fencing allowing me and another national fencer (Andrew Mok Vern-Han - also studying in Nilai U) to practice while on campus,” he explains. He says that the lecturers have also been very supportive and help him catch up with his coursework whenever he has to go off for tournaments or national training. The young lad, who won gold medal at the 2011 SEA Games in Indonesia, is also keen to do his bit to promote the sport within the corridors of Nilai U saying that there has been quite a lot of interest from his fellow students. “It makes sense as the facilities are already in place and it’s a great opportunity to learn a new sport. Furthermore, Andrew and I can help teach students. I am very excited about making fencing more accessible,” he says excitedly. “Fencing, like many sports, help with focus and discipline, traits which have obvious benefits for university students.”
As for his choice of programme, Joshua says he chose the Diploma in Agricultural Management is down to the fact that his parents own a plot of land in Bentong. “At the moment, my mum is cultivating some flowers but not much else is happening. I hope to change that with my newfound knowledge in this field,” he proclaims. Joshua is keen to promote Nilai U, not least because of the fencing facilities on campus. “Come join us and you will not just get a quality education but also an opportunity to learn the art of fencing!”
Nilai U was established in 1997 and is located in the picturesque suburb of Putra Nilai. All of its programmes are recognised by the Ministry of Education and validated by the Malaysian Qualifications Agency. The latter organisation also rates Nilai U as ‘Excellent’. For more information, please go to www.nilai.edu.my or call 06-8502388 / 07-2262336 / 03-79603089.
