Para Sukma XXI: Sarawak sending 213 athletes, 115 officials

KUCHING (Aug 27): Sarawak will be sending a total of 213 athletes and 115 officials to the Para Malaysia Games (Sukma) XXI, scheduled for Sept 22 to 28 in Sarawak.

Women, Childhood and Community Wellbeing Development Minister Dato Sri Fatimah Abdullah said they are among the 1,290 para-athletes and 781 officials from 15 contingents.

“The contingent with the least number of athletes and officials is the Federal Territories, who will be sending 33 athletes and 20 officials,” she told The Borneo Post yesterday.

Fatimah pointed out the two sports that will be offering the most number of events are athletics and swimming, with 134 and 60 events, respectively.

“Therefore, if any contingent wishes to win numerous medals, particularly gold, the best chance is to take part in these two sports,” she said.

The core sports contested are athletics, powerlifting, badminton, swimming and ping pong, while the selective ones are lawn bows, archery, chess, tenpin bowling and boccia.

“From these 10 sports, 328 events will be contested,” she added.

She also said she will host a welcoming dinner for members of participating contingents at the Hikmah Exchange Event Centre here on Sept 21.

The opening ceremony of Para Sukma XXI, which will take place at Stadium Perpaduan on Sept 22, will be officiated by Sarawak Governor Tun Pehin Sri Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar.

The closing ceremony, to be held at the same venue on Sept 28, will be officiated by Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusuf.

Meanwhile, Fatimah announced that five Sarawakian para-athletes will be participating in the Paralympic Games in Paris, France.

They are Bonnie Bunyau Gustin, Jong Yee Khie and Nicodemus Manggoi Moses who will take part in powerlifting; Mohamad Nur Saiful Zulkapli in swimming; and Abdul Razzaq Abdul Rahman in boccia.