Sukma: SLTA set target of a gold and a silver or better

KUCHING (July 17): Sarawak Lawn Tennis Association (SLTA) is aiming to at least repeat the one gold and one silver medal tally for the sport achieved in Sukma 2022.

Sarawak won gold in the men’s doubles and silver in the mixed doubles at the KL Sukma two years ago.

“We hope to achieve the same tally or even do better this time around. Our medal prospects are in the men’s doubles, women’s doubles and mixed doubles, and hopefully we can also make it (win a medal) in the team’s event,” said its president Dato Patrick Liew.

Meanwhile, the 2024 Sarawak Sukma team, comprising six men and six women, will be undergoing an intensive two-week training stint in Seoul, South Korea from July 21 to Aug 3 to prepare for the tournament.

A total of six gold medals are up for grabs at Sukma in the men’s singles, women’s singles, men’s doubles, women’s doubles, mixed doubles and team.

“In the history of Sukma (Malaysian Games), there have yet to be any state dominating or monopolising the medal tally,” Liew said.

Regarding the upgrading of the SLTA Centre, he said the resurfacing of court is ongoing and expected to be completed in the first week of August.

The upgrading work includes the installation of lighting facilities.

The centre will be the venue for tennis action in Sukma from Aug 16 to 22.

Meanwhile, the Sarawak players are urged to capitalise on home ground advantage to do well. The advice came from Sarawak’s assistant chef-de-mission (ACDM) for tennis Dato Henry Harry Jinep.

“As the ACDM, I will give my morale support to the team. Sarawak is hosting Sukma 2024, and we must use this home ground advantage to win medals for our beloved Sarawak,” he said during a meeting with the players and coaches at the SLTA Centre yesterday.

Henry, who is Sarawak Deputy Minister of Transport, pledged to work with SLTA to achieving the medal target and ensure the welfare of the players.