165 to represent Sarawak at Para Sukma 2022
KUCHING: Sarawak will be sending a contingent of 165 athletes to the Para Sukma 2022 in Kuala Lumpur from Nov 1 to 6.
Women, Childhood and Community Wellbeing Development Minister Dato Sri Fatimah Abdullah said the athletes had been undergoing training, albeit not physically, during the Covid-19 pandemic.
“They trained at home with online coaching during the pandemic. Now that we are at the endemic stage, our athletes have been on physical training.
“We will gather all athletes for a special programme for (Para Sukma 2022) countdown, which will also see a motivation session for them,” she said during a news conference at Wisma Wanita in Petra Jaya here yesterday.
Asked about the state’s target for the upcoming games, Fatimah said: “We will tell you during the countdown (programme).”
The special state-level countdown programme for Para Sukma 2022 is expected to take place on Sept 2 as the state contingent enter the last leg of training.
Meanwhile, Fatimah said several outstanding Sarawakian para athletes would be invited to the countdown.
“We will get those para athletes who had shone at various international games to return to Sarawak to celebrate their victories and at the same time share their experience to motivate our athletes for Para Sukma,” she added.
Top of the list would be para powerlifting world champion Bonnie Bunyau Gustin, who won the gold medal in men’s lightweight with a new record during the Commonwealth Games 2022 in Birmingham, England.
Others are para swimmers Muhammad Nur Syaiful Zulkafli, Mohd Adib Iqbal Abdullah and Fraidden Dawan who won medals at the Asean Para Games 2022 in Indonesia.
Muhammad Nur Syaiful broke two games record en route to winning the men’s 50m and 100m S5 freestyle. He also took home the silver medal in 200m S5 freestyle.
Mohd Adib bagged gold medals in men’s 100m SB14 breastroke with new a record, and 50m SB14 breaststroke.
Fraidden also won gold medals in 100m S10 butterfly, 200m SM10 individual medley and 400m S10 freestyle.
Para archer Wiro Julin, the Compound (Men Open Doubles) gold medallist, is also expected at the countdown.