KUCHING: Talent identification of potential athletes will be the most important part of SUKSAR (Sarawak Games) as Sarawak wants to build a strong team once every two years for Sukma (Malaysia Games).
Sarawak sports Corporation CEO, Dr Ong Kong Swee told the organising committee consisting of Residents and their representatives and members of the secretariat involved with the staging of Suksar on Thursday that once they see any potential athletes during the Games the c o a c h e s could select them for training.
Dr Ong, who had chaired another meeting with the technical delegates earlier in the morning, said all the zones involved should treat the Games which will be held mainly in Kuching Division besides places like Santubong and Samarahan as a very important exercise.
He added that not only is Sarawak organising such Games but other states like Selangor, Sabah and lately Terengganu are also having their own games like ours for the purpose of getting ahead in sports development.
“The Suksar Games must be treated as an important ground for talent identification. ‘Your chief coaches must come to the venues of competitions to select the potential athletes. They must ensur e that they get the right potential athletes as they can see where others might not be able to spot. ‘They must see the potentials in the athletes and not necessarily those who win gold medals for the athletes are very young and can develop into good athletes if they have the correct potentials,” said Ong.
The SSC CEO also advised the Residents who are in charge of their respective divisions or zones to make use of their allocations and it can be flexible in t h e i r spending although they will make a c c o u n t s f o r t h e i r expenditure a f t e r t h e Games.
Ong was chairing the meeting to look into the various aspects of organising such as accomodation, transport, food and other technical issues concerning the competitions as well as the opening and closing ceremonies and also hear briefings for those in charge of their respective duties.
A total 11,34 athletes and officials will be involved in SukSar which will be contested among four zones which are southern; consisting of Kuching, Serian, Samarahan, western – Betong, Sri Aman, Sarikei, Central – Sibu, Mukah, Kapit and Northern – Miri, Bintulu, Limbang, The sports contested are swimming, athletics, archery, weightlifting, cycling, sepak takraw, muaythai, badminton, judo, karate, lawnbowl, petanque, handball, rugby while for the para athletes the sports are powerlifting and athletics.
