KUCHING: The 70th Sarawak Open Sports Championship, held at the Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS) stadium from 8 – 9 June, saw the participation of 52 teams involving 458 athletes from around the country.
Organised by the Sarawak Athletic Association (SAAA), the championship aims to provide a competitive platform for athletes aged 16 and above and serves as a benchmark for shortlisting participants for the upcoming 2024 Malaysia Games (SUKMA).
SAAA deputy president Lim Tze Yaw said as Sukma is approaching, the championship serves the purpose for athletes to evaluate their performance.
“This event is to see whether they reach the mark or not, and who to put in for what event. Now is the time for them to expose and show how good they are performing,” he told New Sarawak Tribune here today.
Lim explained that further evaluations would continue at the Malaysian Open next week in Pahang.
“After this event, in case the short list is still long, then we have the Malaysian Open which is next week in Pahang.
“This is essentially like a rehearsal for Sukma; it’s also a training ground for technical officials,” he added.
He affirmed SAAA’s commitment to providing essential platforms and exposure for athletes to support the Sarawak government’s goal of achieving the ‘Runaway Champion’ for the 2024 Sukma.
When asked about their goals for the upcoming Sukma, he indicated that it was too early to make any definitive statements.
“We are very confident in our ability to organise the meet, as we have extensive experience in this area.
However, regarding the performance of the athletes, it is still too soon to provide any insights. That said, we have already generated some ideas in our booth,” he added.
