Miri to host Malaysia Pickleball Open
MIRI: Miri City has been chosen to host the Malaysia Pickleball Open (MPO) between the end of the year and early next year.
This was announced by Farrell Choo who is president of the Malaysia Pickleball Association (MPA) which is based here.
In Malaysia the relatively new sport, which was invented in the US in 1965, is played in Miri, Kuching, Sibu, Kuala Lumpur, Seremban and Johor.
MPA is also an affiliate member of Asia Federation of Pickleball (AFP) and the International Federation of Pickleball (IFP).
Combining elements of badminton, tennis and tabletennis, the sport can be played indoor and outdoor. It is promoted as a game for all age groups.
Choo explained that the upcoming national tournament will spearhead various activities aimed at introducing and promoting pickleball among local folks.
“The tournament will kick start in Miri, followed by interdivision tournament that will be organised by Kuching Pickleball Association and thereafter a national-level competition which will be organised by Sarawak Pickleball Association (SPA),” he said during the ‘Let’s Play Pickleball’ workshop held in conjunction with National Sports Day at Miri Tennis Complex yesterday.
Miri, he added, has become the hub for pickleball in the country with six coaches who are appointed ambassadors by the International Federation of Pickleball (IFP). Kuching has one such ambassador while there are seven others in other parts of Malaysia.
The plan is for every division in Sarawak to have its own association to organise development programmes for the sport.
Meanwhile, Sarawak Sports Corporation (SSC) sports development manager Ahmad Rodzli Hashim, who attended the event, supported plans to attract public interest in pickleball.
“It is important to establish associations at different divisions as it could introduce and promote the game,” he told reporters.
Also present at the workshop event were Sarawak Pickleball Association president Delima Ibrahim and Councillor Leslie Lau who represented Assistant Minister for Tourism, Arts and Culture Datuk Sebastian Ting as guest of honour.