KUALA LUMPUR, April 20 (Bernama) — Universiti Malaysia Pahang Al-Sultan Abdullah (UMPSA) is taking proactive steps to drive the performance of the nation’s Paralympic athletes through the expansion of sports technology innovation, leveraging the university’s research expertise.
UMPSA vice-chancellor Prof Dr Yatimah Alias said the focus on the Paralympic arena aligns with the establishment of an Inclusive Centre at the university, which is committed to conducting various research specifically for persons with disabilities (PwD).
She said the strategic initiative was recently conveyed to Youth and Sports Minister Mohammed Taufiq Johari, who welcomed the potential of sports technology in adding value to the performance of the nation’s para-athletes.
“I had the opportunity to meet the Youth and Sports Minister at an event, and we discussed several matters, including Paralympic research. The response was very positive, and he asked us to submit a more specific proposal or working paper.
“Insya-Allah, we plan to arrange a meeting with the minister to share UMPSA’s research strengths regarding this initiative,” she said after appearing as a guest on Bernama Radio’s "Jendela Fikir: Inovasi UMPSA Tingkat Sukan Sepak Takraw Negara" segment today.
Meanwhile, UMPSA Sports Technology Innovation Centre director Associate Prof Dr Mohd Hasnun Arif Hassan said they are still awaiting feedback from the Malaysian Sepaktakraw Federation (PSM) regarding the RimauStrike machine, which was recently introduced in conjunction with the launch of the Malaysian Sepaktakraw Academy Complex in Kuala Lumpur.
He said the machine has been undergoing testing since the month of Ramadan to identify any technical weaknesses before continuous improvements are carried out.
“This development will not stop here, as input from actual use in the field will be taken into account for us to produce a third or fourth version that is far more advanced in the future.
“Besides PSM, the Pahang Sports Council has also shown interest in this technology to assist in training its athletes,” he said.
He added that RimauStrike was developed to provide a more consistent, repetitive and controllable training system.
UMPSA was appointed as the National Sports Industry Centre of Excellence based on sports technology innovation in October last year.
-- BERNAMA
