Sarawak silat exponents raring to go

MIRI:  The Sarawak silat squad are gearing up for their Sukma battle, having undergone rigorous preparation since February.

Training sessions have been conducted across multiple locations, including Sibu, Malaya, Thailand, and most recently, Sabah, where they trained with the Sabah team.

Azhar Bujang, the deputy manager of the Sarawak Sukma squad for the Miri region, expressed confidence in the team’s readiness.

Azhar Bujang, the deputy manager of the Sarawak Sukma silat squad.

“Alhamdulillah, our plan has gone smoothly. In these final moments, we are focusing more on the athletes’ mentality. With nearly seven months of preparation, we are ready to present a stronger challenge at Sukma this time,” he said.

The Sarawak squad will compete in 28 events, with a total of 34 athletes vying for medals. The martial arts competition includes four categories: male and female, single and double creative solo.

Azhar noted that 99 per cent of the team consists of new faces, with only nine athletes returning from previous competitions.

“We also have athletes who are just 17 years old, and we’ve ensured their education is not neglected by providing them with tuition while they’re in camp,” Azhar said, highlighting the importance of balancing sports and academics for their younger competitors.

With such comprehensive preparation, the Sarawak squad are determined to make a significant impact, aiming to bring home a substantial medal haul.

The pencak silat competition will take place at the Miri Indoor Stadium from Aug 18 to 23.

The sport offers 20 gold medals for the duels and eight for the arts category. Based on the forecast projected by the overall Sarawak contingent, the silat fighters are capable of winning seven gold medals.