By Nas Norziela Nasbah
SHAH ALAM, Jan 4 — The Selangor contingent is meticulously preparing for the 21st Malaysia Games (Sukma) in Sarawak this coming August.
Selangor State Sports Council (MSNS) executive director Mohamad Nizam Marjugi said training for the 37 events confirmed for the games has been actively underway since August last year.
“The preparations are going well, with the commitment of all athletes and teams to face this edition of Sukma clearly evident.
“However, there are still some events or sports in the long list for athlete selection, and we are still awaiting the decision on the number of events to be contested, which will be revealed during the meeting on January 22,” he said when contacted.
Asked about Selangor’s medal targets, Nizam said they are still awaiting the Youth and Sports Ministry and the National Sports Council’s decision concerning finalising the number of sports contested.
“We are still waiting for the relevant authorities’ decisions. Once it is finalised, MSNS will set the medal target, taking into account several factors for assessment.
“But there are several sports or events in which the contingent is expected to shine, including archery, table tennis, athletics, and shooting,” he said.
The 21st Sukma in Sarawak is scheduled from August 17 to 24. Selangor was the overall champion in the 2016 Sukma, also held in Sarawak.
On November 17, state executive councillor for sports Mohd Najwan Halimi said the Selangor contingent is aiming for the top-three position in the upcoming Sukma.
He said the MSNS target was set after monitoring and assessing the athletes’ performance throughout the preparation period.
“We have looked at each athlete’s current situation and potential through monitoring and assessment during the preparation period.
“By participating in previous championships, MSNS believes in the contingent’s ability to achieve the top-three position in the Sukma 2024 games,” Najwan said.
