Terengganu athletes praise Sukma sports village

KUCHING: The sports village for the 21st Malaysia Games (Sukma XXI) has started welcoming teams from across the country and has already received positive feedback from the Terengganu contingent, who arrived earlier this month.

Wan Mohamad Shahril.

Terengganu cricket player Wan Mohamad Shahril, who has participated in two previous editions, expressed that the facilities at Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas) are very satisfactory and the clean accommodation adds significant value for athletes to focus on their competition.

“As athletes, we are very satisfied with the sports village facilities here. Cleanliness is a crucial aspect for us to rest comfortably after competitions. Additionally, conveniences such as laundry services and cafes are very helpful for us.

“It is not an exaggeration to say that the sports village here is the best I have experienced throughout my participation in Sukma,” he said, who is now making his final appearance with the team in pursuit of a gold medal at the 2024 edition.

Meanwhile, the chef de mission (CDM) of the Terengganu contingent, Datuk Tun Ahmad Faisal Tun Abdul Razak, who has also participated in several national and international sports events, described the sports village here as almost on par with international events.

The host, he said, not only provides accommodation but also deploys staff who are always ready to assist with any needs of the contingent.

“Overall, we are very pleased with the efforts of the host to provide facilities and services to each competing contingent. It can be said to almost match international event standards.

“Clean and well-organised accommodation adds significant value, particularly by indirectly boosting athletes’ motivation to fully focus on competing without any distractions.

Ahmad Faisal (in white shirt) interacts with the Terengganu athletes during the opening ceremony of the SUKMA XXI Sarawak 2024 Sports Village at DeTAR Putra, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS). Photo: Media Division of the Terengganu State Sports Council

“We from Terengganu, with the spirit of ‘Hanelang Bangkit 2024,’ are here to fight for the championship from any contingent, including the host contingent.

“Therefore, the host’s efforts in Sarawak give equal opportunity to each competing contingent to pursue victory,” said Ahmad Faisal, making his second appearance as the Terengganu contingent’s CDM.

He is also the deputy president of the Lawn Bowls Federation of Malaysia and the president of the Terengganu Lawn Bowls Association, actively participating with the team in both national and international competitions.

For the record, Unimas, equipped with facilities such as clinics, cafes, laundry services, wifi, and other amenities, is the largest sports village among the 33 contingent placements provided by the host.

It is capable of accommodating 4,800 athletes and team officials. A total of 300 staff members have been assigned to the Unimas sports village to ensure the smooth running of the country’s largest sports event, which officially opens from Aug 17 to 24, involving nine districts in Sarawak as competition venues.

The Terengganu contingent arrived early with the important mission of reclaiming the overall championship, fielding 568 athletes to compete in 36 sports across 340 events.