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Competitors head out for the sailing events at Marina Bay.
MIRI (Aug 19): The 21st Malaysia Games (Sukma XXI) sailing events began at Marina Bay here this morning with 14 gold medals on offer.
The men’s and women’s events began with the Optimist Individual, followed by ICLA 4, ICLA 6, ICLA 7, and International 420.
Transport Minister Dato Sri Lee Kim Shin was present to support the athletes.
A total of 135 athletes from 13 states are competing, with powerhouse Terengganu aiming to top at least eight of the categories.
“We are pretty much confident of six gold, but eight gold is our ultimate target,” Terengganu head coach Abdul Rani Idris told The Borneo Post today.
Terengganu has fielded 17 athletes to compete in all 14 sailing categories.
During Sukma in 2022, Terengganu won gold medals for Men’s International 420, Individual Optimist, Women’s International 420, Techno 293, RS One, and Mixed Team Optimist.
The team also bagged three silver and one bronze that year.
Lee (standing eighth right) is seen in a photocall with the Sarawak sailing team.
Meanwhile, host Sarawak has 18 athletes competing in all 14 categories and has not ruled out the possibility of getting a gold medal.
Team manager Aslan Salam said that even though the target is set at two silver and three bronze medals, the team is hopeful Sarawak’s athletes will etch their names in the record books.
“We have two youngest athletes this Sukma aged 12. Insyaallah (God willing), we will get a gold,” he said.
Sarawak has never won a gold medal for sailing in Sukma.
The state’s best achievement in the sport were two silver medals for Sukma 2016 and Sukma 2018, while during Sukma 2022 Sarawak won a bronze.
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