Sarawak eye top three finish in coming Sukma
KUCHING: The performance of the state’s athletes in Sukma XVII in Perlis from May 24 to June 5 will be a springboard for the state’s quest to win the overall champion title when it hosts the games in 2016.
Sarawak topped the medals tally when it first hosted the games back in 1990 and went on to defend the overall champion title for two consecutive games in 1992 and 1994.
Since then Sarawak had played second f iddle to Selangor in successive Sukma often coming agonisingly close to regaining the title.
However, the state has slipped further down the ranking in recent years and it is going all out to arrest this slide down the medals tally in the coming Sukma.
In Sukma XV in Pahang in 2012, Sarawak captured 42 gold, 32 silver and 38 bronze medals to finish behind Pahang, Selangor and Terengganu.
At this year’s Games, the Sarawak contingent, with their ‘Agi Idup Agi Ngelaban’ battle cry is targetting 55 gold medals and a top three positioning.
“Sarawak is capable of achieving the target and we may even win more than 55 gold medals,” said the contingent’s chef- de-mission, Datuk Lee Khim Shin yesterday.
L e e , who is also Sarawak Assistant Sports minister, said the 55 gold medal target was based on feedback received from team managers and coaches.
“I know that most team managers and coaches did not wish to put too high
Sarawak is capable of achieving the target and we may even win more than 55 gold medals.
Datuk Lee Kim Shin, Sarawak chef-de-mission
a target although they may be confident of winning more gold medals,” said Lee, who in the past few days has been busy visiting training centres statewide to ensure athlete training sessions progressed smoothly.
He said Sarawak would t ake pa r t in 22 sports and were confident of collecting medals from 12 sports, namely aquatics ( s w i m mi n g and d iv i ng) , weight l i f t ing, cyc l ing , l awn bowl , a r cher y, athletics, silat, tenpin bowling, tennis, taekwondo, wushu and petanque.
The other 10 event s a re badminton, boxing, canoeing, football, golf, hockey, karate, sepak takraw, shooting and squash. Sarawak will not take part in optimist sailing and gymrama. Lee hoped c ash incentives would spur the state athletes to perform their best to collect more gold medals.
Rec ent ly, he announc ed t he state government had decided to maintain the quantum of cash incentive at RM5,000 for the fi rst gold medal, and RM7,000 for the second and subsequent gold medals, while RM750 and RM500 were the incentives for silver and bronze medals, respectively.
According to Lee, the Sarawak contingent will be made up of 362 athletes and 83 officials, which is among the biggest contingents in this year’s games.
Meanwhile, Sarawak Sports Council ( MSNS) acting director Lucas Kal lang said some of the athletes were undergoing exposure stints either overseas or in Peninsular Malaysia, while others had started their centralised training at various centres in the state.
The taekwondo exponents are training in Bangkok while the cyclists are in Perlis, archers (Kedah) and tennis players (Kuala Lumpur).
MSNS has also organised a motivation camp at Camp Pueh, Sematan from March 23- 27 for the athletes and coaches, and a coaching workshop from March 7- 9. — Bernama