Sarawak badminton team to start Sukma XIX challenge on Sept 9
KUCHING: The Sarawak Sukma badminton team will travel to Ipoh on Sept 7 for the 19th Malaysia Games (Sukma XIX) in Perak.
According to Sarawak Badminton Association ( SBA) president Tan Sri Datuk Amar Abdul Aziz Husain, it would give the shuttlers time to get accustomed with the environment and get used to the venues before the event start on Sept 9.
The badminton competition will be held at the Amanjaya Badminton Arena of Ipoh City Council Sports Complex.
The preliminary rounds will commence from Sept 9 to 18. The finals for the team event is on Sept 12 while for the singles, doubles and mixed events, the final matches will take place on Sept 18.
Among the top teams to beat are defending champions Selangor and losing finalists Penang in the men’s category while in the women’s category, the teams are defending champions Penang and runners up Selangor.
Abdul Aziz, who is also Sarawak Economic Development Corporation (SEDC) chairman, is confident that Sarawak are ready for the challenge as most of the players are eager to outperform their predecessors from the previous Games which was held in Kuching two years ago.
“We are optimistic with our ( players) chances in this year’s Sukma and they are ready to mount a strong challenge to the other teams,” he enthused.
The selections were conducted earlier this year with over 30 shuttlers were shortlisted from all over the divisions.
Some of the players had also competed in this year’s Round 1 of National Youth Circuit ( Zone C) in Putra Jaya on March 7 - 11, Round 2 of National Youth Circuit (Zone C) in Melaka on May 5 - 6 as well as the Sarawak’s leg of the Air-Asia BAM National Junior Championship 2018 held at SBA Hall on July 18 - 22.
They had also competed in the Sarawak Energy Cup 2018 badmint on championship recently.
The boys’ team is comprised of Owen Ting Shih Wee (19), Nik Azizi Murat (17), Danny Lee Sheng Yee (17), Bong Yung Tze ( 21), Darren Law (21), Zachary Sia Chiong Shen (18), Barrie Chong Kwang Wei (17) And Syafiq Azhar Haizan (18).
The girls are Flora Fong Xin Jie (17), Erika Vallensia (15) Kashley Kho Tze Yin (15), Kam Wei Li (19), Kristy Tay Yong (19), Felicia Fong Xin Hui (18), Kourtney Kho Ker Yin ( 21) And Wong Ling Ching (15).
The assistant chef- de-mission for Sarawak badminton team is Allen Wong Siew Poh who is also SBA deputy president. The team manager is Dominic Lim Thiam Hock while Suhairuddin Rahmad is the coach and Ichwansyah is the assistant coach.