Sarawak pursues ultimate glory

“I hope the athletes can achieve the state contingent’s target of 70 gold medals. So far, Sarawak is ahead in the medal tally (seven gold, four silver and five bronze). I hope they can maintain this momentum.”
— Premier of Sarawak, Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg

“It’s not easy, but with all the support we have, we’re ready for it. We can compete with anyone, and the next two to three days will be crucial for Sarawak to secure victory.”
— Sarawak SUKMA 2024 chef de mission, Datuk Gerald Rentap Jabu

With just four days remaining before the conclusion of the 21st Malaysia Games (SUKMA) 2024 this Saturday, hopes are high that the host Sarawak contingent will not only achieve its target but also reclaim the overall championship once again.

Judging by its performance so far — though some might argue it’s still too early to tell — it seems likely that Sarawak will realise its dream.

As of 4:30 PM local time yesterday, Sarawak topped the leaderboard with 52 gold, 32 silver, and 39 bronze medals, accumulating a total of 123 points.

Close behind was the Federal Territories with 39 gold, 37 silver, and 47 bronze medals, totalling 123 points.

In third place was Terengganu with 27 gold, 25 silver, and 25 bronze, followed by Selangor with 20 gold, 33 silver, and 29 bronze.

Last SUKMA’s edition overall champion Johor is currently in fifth place with 20 gold, 20silver, and 32bronze medals.

Perak and Sabah followed, with Perak earning 16 gold, 21 silver, and 35 bronze, and Sabah securing 16 gold, 16 silver, and 31 bronze.

Terengganu collected 77 points, Selangor 82 points, Johor accumulating 72 points, while Perak 72 points and Sabah 63 points.

A total of 15 contingents, including the Federal Territories and neighbouring Brunei, are in the race for the championship. Despite the rankings, none of the contingents will return home empty-handed.

Even Brunei, currently at the bottom of the list, has secured one gold medal — thanks to its wushu sensation Walid Lackhar — along with two silver and three bronze, accumulating a total of six points.

Sarawak’s Chef de Mission (CDM), Datuk Gerald Rentap Jabu, who is also the Deputy Minister of Youth, Sports, and Entrepreneur Development (MYSED), expressed confidence in Sarawak’s ability to achieve the target during an interview in Miri on Monday, though he acknowledged the stiff competition that remains until the final day.

I completely agree with Rentap. His confidence, I believe, is not based on mere gut feelings but on the excellent performance demonstrated by the contingent so far.

With 52 gold medals already secured, Sarawak has achieved close to 76 per cent of its target of 70 gold medals, needing just 18 more to reach the goal.

However, as we all know, this isn’t the time to celebrate just yet. I’m sure Rentap and fellow Sarawakians would agree that it’s certainly not the time to be complacent.

He wisely cautioned, “It’s not easy, but with all the support we have, we’re ready for it. We can compete with anyone, and the next two to three days will be crucial for Sarawak to secure victory.”

The remaining days of the 2024 SUKMA will be even more critical, as all the top contingents are fighting tooth and nail to outdo each other.

The opportunity is still wide open for any of the top eight contingents in the current rankings to deny Sarawak the chance to emerge as the overall champion for the fourth time. Sarawak previously claimed the SUKMA title in 1990, 1992, and 1994.

This year’s Games feature 37 sports with 488 events — 236 for men, 217 for women, and 35 mixed events — bringing together 12,619 athletes and officials.

The 2024 edition surpasses the previous high of 426 events two years ago. Introduced in 1986, SUKMA has been hosted in Sarawak twice before, in 1990 and 2016.

This year marks the third time the state has served as host, with competitions spread across nine divisions: Kuching, Samarahan, Serian, Sri Aman, Betong, Sibu, Mukah, Bintulu, and Miri.

Sarawak Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg recently announced that the Sarawak government will provide an incentive of RM15,000 for each gold medal won at this year’s SUKMA, RM5,000 for silver medalists, and RM3,000 for bronze medalists.

This means Sarawak is prepared to reward at least RM1,050,000 for gold medals alone. So far, Sarawak athletes have earned RM720,000 for gold, RM140,000 for silver, and RM114,000 for bronze.

Abang Johari emphasised that these incentives are designed to motivate and support athletes, encouraging them to make sports a career.

“When they reach the international level, they will carry the name of Sarawak, just like diver Datuk Pandelela Rinong Pamg, powerlifter Bonnie Bunyau Gustin, and others,” he said.

He also expressed hope that Sarawak athletes will achieve the state contingent’s target of 70 gold medals.

With these lucrative incentives, strong commitment from state leaders and sports bodies, and overwhelming support from every Sarawakian, every athlete should be more determined than ever to deliver gold in the remaining events.

These generous incentives not only recognize the hard work and dedication of Sarawak’s athletes but also inspire them to continue striving for excellence on both national and international stages.

With such robust support, Sarawak is well-positioned to cultivate a new generation of sports champions.

The views expressed here are those of the writer and do not necessarily represent the views of the Sarawak Tribune.