SUKMA 2024: Sabah Petanque Team Targets Two Gold Medals

KOTA KINABALU, Aug 5 (Bernama) -- The Sabah petanque team aims to win two gold medals at the Malaysia Games (SUKMA) 2024, which will be held in Sarawak from Aug 17 to 24.

Its head coach, Wahadhir Hamdan, said that the athletes are very committed to achieving the target, by undergoing intensive training at the Kota Kinabalu Polytechnic (PKK) regularly, with 10 hours per training session, in preparation for the Games.

“So far, in terms of preparation, the athletes are mentally and physically ready, by participating in several petanque tournaments with other states.

“Through participating in the tournaments, the Sabah petanque athletes will be exposed to the opponent's game and match strategy,” he told Bernama.

Wahadhir said that a total of 20 athletes, aged 15 to 21, consisting of secondary school and PKK students, will represent Sabah in the event.

In the previous edition of the SUKMA held in Kuala Lumpur, the Sabah petanque team won one gold medal and is now determined to secure more gold medals.

Wahadhir who is also the national youth coach and was ranked as the fourth-best coach at the World Cup in Thailand last November, aims to leverage his expertise to build a strong team for Sabah.

One of the athletes, Muhammad Aiman Daniel Mohd Ali, 16, is eager to make history as the first Sabah player to win a medal in the event. He sees this year's SUKMA as an important milestone in his quest to become a professional petanque athlete

His teammate, Nur Vivianah Chia, 18, shares a similar ambition and is hopeful for a standout performance in the upcoming SUKMA.

-- BERNAMA