Sarawak clinches Para Sukma XXI overall swimming champ after Selangor’s disqualification in final relay

KUCHING (Sept 26): Sarawak became 2024 Para Malaysia Games (Para Sukma XXI) overall swimming champion today after winning the gold medal in the 4x100m mixed medley relay S14 event, which was also the final swimming event of the Games.

Taking place at the Pandelela Rinong Aquatic Centre here, the final victory was secured after team Selangor, the initial frontrunner of the event, was disqualified.

The event which saw only three teams competing, appeared to be a definitive win for Selangor, who initially finished the race first, but it was later discovered that one of Selangor’s swimmers had jumped into the pool too early during the relay exchange.

Consequently, Sarawak, who had finished in second place, was declared the gold medalist, while Kedah took the silver medal.

The disqualification not only reshaped the results of the relay event but also significantly impacted the overall medal tally of the Para Sukma XXI swimming competition.

Had Selangor not been disqualified, they would have claimed the gold medal in the relay event, and Sabah would have emerged as the overall champion of the swimming competition.

With this turn of events, both Sarawak and Sabah ended the competition tied with 17 gold medals each, so the overall winner had to be determined by the number of silver medals collected.

Sarawak’s athletes managed to outshine their competitors by securing 13 silver medals compared to Sabah’s seven, and the achievement pushed Sarawak ahead in the medal tally, ultimately giving them the advantage in the closely fought competition.

Meanwhile, speaking to reporters later, Sarawak Para Sukma Deputy Chef De Mission (CDM) Datuk Amar Jamilah Anu said she is confident that the state’s swim team can achieve glory.

“This is because before the Games, we had set a target of 15 gold medals for swimming, and we achieved 17. Not only that, we became overall champion as well.

“I have always had faith in the Sarawak swimmers and I knew that we could achieve our goal. This also shows that our programme is a success,” she said.

As for the state para swimming coach, Imran Nawawi, he said Sarawak could have won more, but having won 17 gold medals and emerging Para Sukma XXI swimming champion is good enough of an achievement for now.

What is important for Imran is that the Sarawak para athletes will continue to train if they want to emerge overall Para Sukma swimming champion again in the next edition.

“If the swimmers want more honours in Sukma such as winning the gold medal at the games, then they should know that nothing beats training and being constantly prepared as long as they want to participate in competitions,” he said.

Sarawak fielded 28 swimmers for Para Sukma XXI in the aquatic events, where two are women.

This year’s swimming competition offers 60 medals across three categories, with Sarawak placing their medal hopes on five athletes in the vision impairment category, 13 in the physical disability category, and seven athletes including two women in the intellectual disability category.