KANGAR – Sarawak athletes have been thrown lucrative incentive to strike gold at the 17th Malaysia Games (SUKMA) in Perlis from 24 May to 4 June.
An athlete winning his or her first gold medal will receive RM5,000. If the athlete strikes a second gold it is worth RM7,000.
This is a challenge to Sarawak athletes to go for gold medals as the East Malaysian state aims to finish in the top three in the biennial games against the likes of Terengganu and Selangor, both considered strong contenders for the overall title.
Sarawak assistant Sports Minister Datuk Lee Kim Shin, however, is confident that the state will fare well in this tiny northern state in the Malaysian peninsula.
Perlis are hosting the biggest sporting event in the country for the first time and have left no stones unturned in their bid to make the Games a memorable one.
Sarawak are targeting between 50 to 55 gold medals with the bulk expected to come from swimming, archery, bowling and also athletics.
Meanwhile, Sarawak have identified seven kata exponents for the trip to Kangar. The kata exponents are led by two very experienced exponents – Al-Hasbi Al-Harir and Dayangku Nurdiyana – with nine and seven years experience behind them respectively.
The kumite team will be named soon. At the last Sukma in Pahang, Sarawak managed only three bronze medas with kata contributing one and kumite two.
The Sarawak contingent to Perlis will go into camp in Kuching on May 21 before leaving for Kangar.
