By DayakDaily Team
SELANGOR, Sept 11: Sarawak has emerged in third place at the Para Malaysia Games (Sukma) 2026 with a haul of 138 medals, of which 52 are gold followed by 32 silver and 54 bronze.
According to Sarawak Women, Children, and Community Wellbeing Development Minister Dato Sri Fatimah Abdullah, this year’s edition of the games had provided a clear picture of the strengths and weaknesses of the Sarawak contingent that needed to be addressed.
In a Sarawak Public Communication Unit (Ukas) report, she said Sarawak will expand its search for new talent as part of its key efforts to strengthen the State’s para-athlete contingent ahead of the next edition of the games in 2028, particularly in events where the number of athletes remains limited.
She said several events still had a limited number of athletes, while Sarawak had no representatives at all in certain events.
“For example, in physical-class table tennis, we only have one athlete. If we had more than one athlete in this physical category, we might have won more medals. There are several events in which we do not have any athletes at all,” she told reporters after the Sarawak Contingent Gala Dinner here on Thursday (Sept 10).
Meanwhile, she said mental training also needed to be given greater emphasis alongside physical development, particularly to ensure athletes could manage pressure when competing outside Sarawak.
She said some athletes had the physical and technical capabilities but lost focus or became nervous when faced with the competition environment and their opponents’ tactics.
“Some of our athletes lose mentally. They become nervous and lose focus. In our preparations later, apart from physical fitness and emotional strength, we also need training to ensure they have sufficient mental strength to compete on the opponents’ home ground,” she said.
Fatimah said the comprehensive approach would form part of Sarawak’s efforts to build a larger, more competitive and better-prepared contingent for Para Sukma 2028.
Hosts Selangor emerged as the overall champion for Para Sukma 2026 with 200 medals (93 gold, 55 silver, 52 bronze) while Sabah secured second place with 165 medals (69 gold, 51 silver, 45 bronze).
The Para Sukma 2026 also saw Noshazwani Maisara Marzuki was named Best Sportswoman who set two new records in the women’s F37 shot put with a throw of 8.93 metres, surpassing the previous record of 7.25 metres set in 2016, and in the women’s F37 javelin throw with a mark of 19.34 metres, breaking the previous record of 18.57 metres set in 2024.
In addition, five other Sarawak athletes also set new records during the games—Richard Bada, Nurfahani Kudus, Noria Bada, Galang Jabai, and Rusdianto Rusmadi—in para-athletics and para-swimming events.
Fatimah said the achievements demonstrated that Sarawak’s para-athletes were not only capable of competing at the highest level, but also of breaking records and making history at the Para Sukma. — DayakDaily
