Armwrestling to be introduced to secondary schools

KUCHING: Sarawak is leading other states in Malaysia in expanding the sport of arm wrestling in secondary schools.

This is according to Sarawak Armsports Association ( Sasa) deputy president Stephen Kee who also revealed that their school project will be in collaboration with the Malaysian Armwrestling Association ( MyArms) and the State government.

“We aim to introduce this sport at all secondary schools throughout Sarawak. At the initial stage the programme will start at 22 schools in Kuching,” he said after paying a courtesy call on Housing and Local Government Minister Datuk Dr Sim Kui Hian on Monday.

Sasa advisor Datuk Seri Teng Chi Lik and the programme’s chief trainer Goh Thian Weai were among those who visited Dr Sim’s office in Petra Jaya here.

Dr Sim said he agreed to assist Sasa in terms of financing the school programme at SMK Batu Kawah and SMK Jalan Arang which are within his Batuk Kawah state constituency.

He then pledged RM20,000 to Sasa to buy international standard armwrestling tables for those two schools.

The programme, added Kee, will comprise once a week training at the school and once a week training at the Premier 101 gymnasium in Jalan Tun Jugah here.

Interested students will spar among themselves after learning technical aspects, techniques to reduce risk of injury and basic physical training.

At the gymnasium, they will learn the rules of the sport and advanced physical training.

Students will be called up to competeandrepresenttheirschools at various competitions before they are picked for competitions at district and divisional levels.