KUCHING: Sarawak’s dodgeball players made their mark at the Arcane Open in Singapore, held from March 22 to 23.
In a thrilling semi-final, the Langkau Warriors’ roster included players from Tsunami in Kuching and Mudkip SDC from West Malaysia.
They faced off against Arcane Dragon from Singapore, narrowly losing 2-1.
Despite the setback, the team’s journey through the tournament was filled with excitement and camaraderie.
Darren Robin, a seasoned competitor with experience in prestigious international events such as the Asia Pacific Invitational and the state leagues in Sydney, was excited about the opportunity to compete alongside teams from various nations.
“Coming to Singapore was more exhilarating than nerve-wracking for me. It was fantastic to reconnect with old friends, make new ones and see how tournaments are organised here,” he shared.
For his juniors, Ryshaune Lee and Shereen Tay, the tournament marked their first international experience, and their nerves were understandably on edge before the first match.
“They were a bundle of nerves before our opening game. But it was a brilliant learning curve for them,” Darren added.
Darren expressed how deeply meaningful it was to represent his home state on the international stage.
“I’ve always taken immense pride in being a Sarawakian. Bringing the flag here felt monumental. It was about showing the world who we are and how much fight we have, even though our community is smaller compared to those in West Malaysia,” he told Sarawak Tribune on Monday (March 24).
The team’s initial goal was simple — to gain valuable experience for the juniors and relish the nostalgia of competing with university friends.
However, their performances exceeded expectations, with the team charging into the semi-finals and coming tantalisingly close to securing the silver medal.
“We entered the tournament with the aim of simply enjoying the experience, but as we won a few games, it started to feel quite natural. Before we knew it, we were in the semi-finals and had earned the bronze, with the silver medal just out of reach,” he reflected.
Additionally, another team consisting of a mixture of players from Sarawak, West Malaysia, and Singapore, 6065, also participated in the tournament but was unfortunately eliminated in the group stage.
While the Langkau Warriors fell short of securing the silver and 6065 did not progress beyond the group stage, their strong performances at the Arcane Open show the growing prominence of dodgeball in Sarawak and underscore the immense potential for future success on the international stage.
