13 SPORTS TO BE CONTESTED IN SARAWAK GAMES
KUCHING, Dec 21 (Bernama) - A total of 13 sports will be contested at the Sarawak Games (SUKSAR) III, which will be held in Sibu from January 15 to 18 next year.
Sarawak Minister of Youth, Sports, and Entrepreneur Development Datuk Seri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah said the eligibility criteria for athletes participating in SUKSAR III are those aged 21 and below, who have never won a gold medal at the Malaysia Games (SUKMA) and have not been involved in the national development programme.
"The real purpose of organising SUKSAR III is as a platform to identify talented athletes to form the development squad for SUKMA, which will take place in August next year.
"The organisation of SUKSAR is also to assist associations that are less active in organising competitions to be prepared to face the SUKMA," he said at a press conference here today.
Abdul Karim, who is also the Minister of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts of Sarawak, said that in addition, the organisation of SUKSAR aims to introduce core sports throughout Sarawak according to zone divisions
The Kuching, Samarahan, and Serian divisions represent the Southern Zone; the Sri Aman, Betong, and Sarikei divisions represent the Western Zone; the Sibu, Mukah, and Kapit divisions represent the Central Zone, and the Northern Zone consists of the Bintulu, Miri, and Limbang divisions.
"The sports that will be contested during the four-day Games are weightlifting, cycling, basketball, volleyball, futsal, hockey, judo, karate, pencak silat, sepak takraw, boxing, taekwondo, and wushu," he said.
Abdul Karim said the opening ceremony, scheduled to take place at the Sibu Indoor Stadium, would be attended by him, while Sarawak Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg is scheduled to officiate the closing ceremony.
SUKMA 2024 in Sarawak will take place from August 17 to 24..
-- BERNAMA
