SUKMA 2024: Sarawak Aspires To Produce International Standard Athletes  

KUCHING, July 29 (Bernama) -- In the passion to become the overall champion of the 21st Malaysian Games (SUKMA), Sarawak never set aside the importance of continuing to identify back-up athletes capable of representing the country at international level.

Sarawak SUKMA chef de mission, Datuk Gerald Rentap Jabu said the 21st SUKMA can also be a yardstick to assess Sarawak's ability to host events at a higher level, especially after it offered to host the SEA Games in 2027.

"It is true that we want to be the overall champion (21st SUKMA) but we also want to see the continuation of sports development for Malaysia. From this SUKMA we will get athletes who can represent the country," he said when appearing as a guest on RTM programme, Planet Sukan over TV1 on Sunday night.

According to him, the appearance of two Sarawak athletes, Ashley Lau Jen Wen for golf and Bertrand Rhodict Lises (diving event) as Malaysia's representatives at the Olympic Games this year shows the success of Sarawak's sports development.

"At the same time, we have the opportunity to organise the SEA Games in 2027, so this (SUKMA) is a platform for us to prepare our athletes

Rentap, who is also Sarawak's Deputy Minister of Youth, Sports and Entrepreneurship Development, said the preparation for the event venue was also a big challenge for the 21st SUKMA which will feature 488 events, the largest number of events in its history.

He said the improvement of sports facilities also needed to be implemented following the changes in terms of the rules of certain types of sports competitions, but this was seen as a long-term preparation to face international level sports that will be organised in Sarawak in the future.

"For example, shooting events (now) must use electronic scoring. So this requires greater expenditure. Now the Sarawak target field uses the latest electronic scoring technology, more sophisticated than the Olympics in Paris," he said.

According to him, the organisation of high-level sports events is also capable of bringing economic benefits to the people.

"We must look at the whole. If we have this facility, it will also increase income in terms of tourism, in terms of economy... not only sports," he added.

-- BERNAMA