Sarawak eyeing karate breakthrough in Sukma
KUCHING: The Sarawak Karate Association wil l be sending their biggest ever squad of 21 athletes to compete in the 38th MAKAF National Senior Karate Championships to be held in Kulim, Kedah from March 17 to 18.
F ive in the squad who are from Kuching - Muzahid Asyraff, Kho Zhan Hong, Chang Sze Poh, Tara Lim and Elnieshernie Endun - led by team manager and coach Clarence Leong and head coach Muhammad Al- Harir recently received the state colours from Sarawak Sports Corporation officer Daud Dato Aba at Sarawak Stadium.
This group and the rest of the athletes from Miri including coach Jarvis Julian will f ly to Kuala Lumpur separately today ( March 15).
Leong, who is Sarawak State Sports Council ( MSNS) coach in charge of the Kuching- based centre, said the motive of the trip is to bring the Sarawak athletes up to the national level and vie for selection into the national squad.
“Sarawak has competed in past years but this year we bring the biggest squad of 21 with 19 potential Sukma athletes while five in the contingent have past Sukma experience having competed in the last Sukma,” he added.
Noting that the state karate team won two silver and three bronze medals in the 2016 Sukma, he believes “we are in for a shout to make a breakthrough to win our first gold medal in Sukma
Sarawak has competed in past years but this year we bring the biggest squad of 21 with 19 potential Sukma athletes while five in the contingent have past Sukma experience having competed in the last Sukma. Clarence Leong, MSNS coach
competitions.”
The team manager added that Sarawak has more potential to win in the kata.