Sarawak Wushu Federation eyes 2027 SEA Games after impressive Sukma performance

KUCHING: Despite securing only three gold, four silver, and five bronze medals at the 21st Malaysia Games (Sukma), the Sarawak Wushu Federation is setting its sights on the 2027 Southeast Asian (SEA) Games, where wushu is likely to be one of the featured sports.

Sarawak’s three-gold heroine, Stephanie Ngu Chai Ern, is expected to be a key contender.

Sarawak Wushu Federation deputy president James Ting Ing Seek expressed particular satisfaction with Stephanie’s performances, noting that her score of 9.03 even surpassed that of the current national player.

Stephanie, who claimed a silver medal at the previous Sukma in Kuala Lumpur two years ago, led the Sarawak team from the outset, winning the first gold for the state in the Jiangshu event and adding another in the Changquan event.

Other podium finishers included Carmen Chao Jia Min, who secured silver in Taijijian, Fung Tai Leong, who earned a bronze in Nanquan, and Mok Xiao Yuan, who also took bronze in Taijiquan.

Ting highlighted Stephanie’s exceptional performance, stating that she was the standout athlete in the wushu competitions and should be a major attraction when Sarawak hosts the SEA Games.

“It’s now up to the national selectors to bring Stephanie onto the national team, as she has shown remarkable form, surpassing even the current national player in points,” said Ting.

“Sarawak has done well to secure three gold, even though our target was seven, considering the rapid improvement of teams like Melaka and Negri Sembilan. Despite not having national athletes in the team, Sarawak remained competitive,” he added.

Sarawak did not win a single gold in the previous Sukma held in Kuala Lumpur, where they managed to secure only two silver and several bronze medals.

Ting credited the training stint in China prior to Sukma for the athletes’ improved performances and mentioned that the federation would look to its back-up and development squads to step up as athletes like Stephanie, who is 20, will be ineligible for the next Sukma.