Adopt a winning mentality, Abdul Karim tells SUKMA athletes

KUCHING: Sarawak athletes competing in the upcoming 21st Malaysia Games (SUKMA) need to have a champion mindset when facing opponents, said Youth, Sports, and Entrepreneur Development Minister Datuk Seri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah.

He described SUKMA as a battlefield that requires a right strategy and a resilient mindset for athletes to achieve victory.

“To become the ‘runaway champion,’ the Sarawak contingent must aim to win as many gold medals as possible.

“Competing in SUKMA is like going to war. If you want to go to war, you need to have a well-thought-out strategy.

“You must have the right mentality, the right perspective, and the right motivation, especially our young athletes,” he said.

He was speaking at a briefing session with Sarawak contingent chef de mission (CDM) and assistant chef de mission (ACDM) held at the Borneo Convention Centre Kuching (BCCK) here yesterday (July 9).

Abdul Karim said the homeground advantage must be fully exploietd to bring the championship title back to Sarawak, which was last won in 1994, 30 years ago.

According to him, Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg will also be closely monitoring the athletes’ progress throughout SUKMA, as he is keen to see Sarawak emerge as champions this time.

“Some of our athletes may view athletes from other states as superior. This is where the ACDM, team managers, and coaches play a crucial role in boosting the athletes’ spirit, ensuring they do not feel inferior to their competitors.

“Sarawak athletes must ensure that during the competition, whether on the field or in the pool, they see their opponents as ‘small’,” he added.

During the briefing session, each sports association presented the medal targets for the SUKMA.

For the record, Sarawak will field a total of 802 athletes, comprising 427 male athletes and 375 female athletes.

Also present were Deputy Minister of Youth, Sports, and Entrepreneur Development cum chief of sarawak contingent’s chef de mission Datuk Gerald Rentap Jabu, Deputy Minister of Youth, Sports, and Entrepreneur Development Datuk Dr Ripin Lamat, Deputy State Secretary (Operations) cum CEO of SUKMA XXI Sarawak 2024 Datuk Hii Chang Kee, Ministry of Youth, Sports, and Entrepreneur Development permanent secretary Morshidi Fredrick.

(Seated from right) Morshidi, Hii, Rentap and Abdul Karim with the ACDMs, team managers and coaches after the briefing session.