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| Fatimah (sixth left), mascots, athletes and secretariat committee members giving their thumbs up as the countdown for the 18th National Paralympic Games began on Tuesday. Also seen is Dr Abdul Rahman (second right). |
KUCHING (KarenBong): The state paralympic team aim to deliver 80 gold medals and retain the championship title for the 12th consecutive time in the upcoming 18th National Paralympics Games to be held in Sarawak from Aug 6-10.
Welfare, Women and Community Wellbeing Minister Datuk Fatimah Abdullah assured that all necessary preparations would be done to ensure the smooth participation and running of the games.
“A total of 1,407 athletes and officials from 15 contingents will be participating in nine games at nine venues in Kuching and Samarahan,” she told a press conference after chairing the committee meeting at Wisma Wanita in Jalan Sultan Tengah here on Tuesday.
Assistant Welfare and Community Wellbring minister Dr Abdul Rahman Ismail will be chef de mission for the state contingent.
The spirit of the state contingent, she added, was high.
“It is not so much about the incentives but the athletes are aiming high so to present the victory as a gift to the Sarawak government. A victory one after another following Barisan Nasional (BN) landslide victory in the last state election,” she emphasised.
“We must be champion and we will be champion again, God’s willing. But we have also fought for the athletes to receive similar incentives as Sukma winners,” she said.
Meanwhile, the Health Department has also issued notice of smoking and vaping prohibition at Kuching International Airport (KIA), all games venues and athletes accommodation in Games Village (Kolej Cempaka, Unimas).
“Warnings will be pasted at all the mentioned places. Paralympics athletes are strictly to abide with the rules and regulations,” she warned.
On the preparation, Fatimah said accomodation for 208 wheel-chaired bound athletes and officials will be at Merdeka Palace while 10 Rapid Bus KL will continue to be utilised and mobile toilets made available and ramps installed at certain parts of the game venues.
“The media centre will be at Aquatic Centre of Sarawak Sports Complex. 350 volunteers will be needed to assist the secretariat and training has already started last Sunday. 80 per cent of the volunteers are from Sukma,” she added.
The games and venue will be track and field in Stadium Sarawak, badminton (Sports Complex Unimas), powerlifting (Jubli Hall UiTM), swimming (Aquatic Centre of Sarawak Sports Complex), ping pong (Stadium Perpaduan Negeri), archery (Lapang Sasar Unimas), lawn ball (Complex Lawn Ball of Sarawak Sports Complex), ten-pin bowling (Megalanes Bowling Centre) and chess (Dewan Kristal, Unimas). -TheBorneoPost
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