From Sabah to the SEA Games: The Untold Story of GeramBeat’s Golden Journey

Four Sabah Women, One Team and a Story Worth Celebrating

When we talk about Malaysian sporting achievements, our attention often goes straight to the biggest names, official medal events and athletes who regularly appear in the headlines. But sometimes, the most inspiring stories are happening quietly, away from the spotlight.

One such story belongs to four women from Sabah who travelled all the way to Thailand to represent Malaysia at the 2025 SEA Games.

Doris Ng Lee Chu, Noveny Viannie, Victoria Martin and Lisa Lawrence, members of Sabah-based tug of war team GeramBeat, made history after winning gold in the Women’s 4×4 250kg Tug of War demonstration event.

Although tug of war was featured as a demonstration event rather than an official medal sport at the SEA Games, their achievement remains an incredible milestone. More importantly, their journey is now being brought to a wider Malaysian audience through WONDA Kopi Tarik’s “Tarik Malaysians Together” campaign this Merdeka and Malaysia Day.

The Journey from Sabah to the SEA Games

GeramBeat’s story is a reminder that sporting dreams do not always begin inside elite training centres or with professional athletes.

For these four women, tug of war started from a shared passion at the community level. Through training, competition and plenty of commitment, that passion eventually took them from Sabah to the international stage in Thailand.

Their journey was not simply about pulling a rope.

It was about showing up, training together, trusting one another and finding the strength to keep going despite the challenges along the way.

What makes their story particularly relatable is that the four women continue to live ordinary lives outside sport. They have jobs, families and responsibilities, yet they still make time to pursue something they are passionate about.

That dedication ultimately brought them to the SEA Games.

Meet the Women Behind GeramBeat

Behind every team is a group of individuals with their own stories, and GeramBeat is no different.

Doris Ng Lee Chu, 38, works as a Sales & Marketing Executive. Noveny Viannie, 26, is a Forwarding Executive from Kampung Lamat, Sabah.

Victoria Martin, 51, is a housewife and farmer from Kampung Mekiok, Papar, while 29-year-old Lisa Lawrence works as an Administrative Officer at a factory in Kota Kinabalu.

Their backgrounds may be different, but once they step onto the rope, those differences disappear.

Every member has a role to play. Every movement matters. And every person has to trust the others.

That is perhaps the most powerful part of GeramBeat’s story. Their gold-medal achievement was not built on physical strength alone. Discipline, teamwork, trust and determination were equally important.

Why WONDA Kopi Tarik Is Telling Their Story

This is where GeramBeat’s journey connects naturally with WONDA Kopi Tarik’s “Tarik Malaysians Together” campaign.

For Malaysians, the idea of tarik is instantly familiar. We pull our coffee to create the drink many of us love. In tug of war, teams pull together to overcome the opposing side.

The connection may sound simple, but the message is meaningful.

Tug of war cannot be won by one person. Everyone has to contribute, trust their teammates and pull in the same direction.

According to Amy Gan, Vice President of Marketing at Etika Sdn Bhd, what stood out about GeramBeat was how extraordinary their journey was despite being relatively unknown to many Malaysians.

The campaign aims to give these four women the recognition they deserve while highlighting what Malaysians can accomplish when their individual strengths come together.

Bringing GeramBeat Closer to Malaysians

As part of the campaign, GeramBeat’s story will be featured in a hero film that offers viewers a closer look at the women behind the team.

Rather than focusing only on their achievement in Thailand, the film explores their everyday lives and the commitment required to balance work, family and sport.

It is this human side of their journey that makes the story especially interesting.

They are not simply athletes who appeared at a major sporting event. They are Malaysian women who continued chasing their passion while managing everyday responsibilities.

Their story will also reach Malaysians through radio, digital and social media platforms.

In addition, the GeramBeat members are set to appear in an exclusive interview with Astro, where they will share more about their SEA Games experience and what bringing home gold meant to them.

From Merdeka to Malaysia Day

The “Tarik Malaysians Together” campaign will continue beyond Merdeka and into Malaysia Day.

WONDA Kopi Tarik will bring the campaign offline at Keretapi Sarong 2026 on 16 September, turning the message of togetherness into a community celebration.

The Malaysia Day activities will begin at Subang Jaya LRT Station, where participants can enjoy live performances, interactive games, free WONDA Kopi Tarik and exclusive freebies.

WONDA will also offer free train rides to Keretapi Sarong 2026, encouraging Malaysians to make the journey and celebrate together.

An engagement booth will also be available, giving visitors another opportunity to take part in the campaign.

More Than Just a Gold Medal

Perhaps the biggest takeaway from GeramBeat’s journey is that recognition does not always arrive immediately.

Their gold-medal achievement at the 2025 SEA Games demonstration event may not have received the same attention as victories in official medal sports, but the story behind it is no less meaningful.

Four women from Sabah found strength in one another, committed themselves to a demanding sport and eventually represented Malaysia on the SEA Games stage.

That is something worth celebrating.

Through “Tarik Malaysians Together”, WONDA Kopi Tarik is using GeramBeat’s story to remind Malaysians that unity is not merely about standing together. Sometimes, it is about pulling together — literally and figuratively — towards one shared goal.

And perhaps that is the real gold medal behind GeramBeat’s journey.

Not just the gold they brought home from Thailand, but the friendships, determination and spirit of togetherness that got them there in the first place.

For more information and the latest campaign updates, follow WONDA Coffee’s official social media channels @wondacoffee on Instagram

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