By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, Sept 10: Sarawak’s Special Olympics athletes delivered an impressive performance at the 2026 Special Olympics East Asia Regional Bowling Competition in Hong Kong, winning seven medals, including three gold, while representing Malaysia.
Held from Sept 4 to 7 at Top Bowl Tenpin Bowling, Kai Tak Sports Park, the regional competition brought together athletes from Hong Kong, China, Macau, Taiwan, Singapore, India, Germany and Malaysia.
Malaysia’s contingent was led by head of delegation Datin Dayang Mariani Abang Zain and included five Sarawak athletes, accompanied by coach Shirley Chen.
The athletes were Siti Hamidah Sabri, Vanessa Nisha Siok, Nelson Donny Sunny, Mohamad Najib Salmi and Mohamad Rizuan Madzi, who competed as a Unified Player.
Sarawak’s three gold medals came from Vanessa in the women’s singles, Nelson in the men’s singles, and the men’s doubles pairing of Nelson and Mohamad Najib.
The contingent also won three silver medals, with Siti Hamidah finishing runner-up in the women’s singles, Mohamad Najib taking silver in the men’s singles, and Mohamad Rizuan and Siti Hamidah securing silver in the unified event.
A bronze medal in the team event completed Sarawak’s seven-medal haul.
The strong performance also contributed to Malaysia’s overall medal tally of five gold, six silver and two bronze. Selangor athletes accounted for the remaining two gold, three silver and one bronze.
Sarawak Minister for Women, Early Childhood and Community Wellbeing Development Dato Sri Fatimah Abdullah congratulated the athletes on their achievements and expressed her support for their participation in the regional competition.
“I am very proud of our athletes. Their success shows that with determination, dedication and the right opportunities, persons with intellectual disabilities can excel and shine on the international stage.
“These achievements are not only about medals, but also about building confidence, promoting inclusion and demonstrating perseverance,” she said in a statement today.
Fatimah also thanked the coaches, families and supporters for their continued commitment to promoting inclusive sports and creating opportunities for athletes with intellectual disabilities to compete and excel at the international level.
Following the competition, the Sarawak athletes celebrated their achievement with a visit to Ocean Park Hong Kong, where they had the opportunity to unwind and experience one of the city’s renowned attractions.
The competition was particularly significant as Special Olympics Hong Kong marked its 50th anniversary in 2026, with the regional bowling competition forming part of its anniversary celebrations.
The Sarawak team also expressed its appreciation to Fatimah for her continued support and encouragement towards the development of Special Olympics athletes in the state.
Their performance in Hong Kong highlighted their determination, discipline and sporting spirit, while underscoring the importance of providing inclusive opportunities for persons with intellectual disabilities to participate, compete and excel in sports at the international level. — DayakDaily
