KUCHING: Although Sukma XVIII is officially scheduled for July 22-31, the first competitions of football, taekwondo, rhythmic gymnastics, lawn bowls and karate will commence on July 19.
Football matches are to be played at Stadium Negeri, Padang C and D and Unimas football field, with Perak as the defending champions. Sarawak last won the title in 1990 when it hosted the Malaysia Games (Sukma).
The taekwondo competition will be held at Sarawak Indoor Stadium which will also host the artistic gymnastics competition.
Sarawak are the defending champions and the ambitious Sarawak Taekwondo Association (WTF) are targeting five gold medals in this Sukma.
Rhythmic gymnastics will be staged at the MBKS Indoor Stadium in Pending on July 19-20 and it is the shortest competition in this Sukma where only five teams with about 20 athletes are vying for medals. The Miri Indoor Stadium is the venue for karate where Penang, Terengganu and Selangor are among the hot favourites.
The first batch of athletes checking into the Sukma Games Village in Unimas, Kota Samarahan, on July 14 is from Sarawak.
They will attend the official handing-over ceremony of state colours by Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Adenan Satem to Sarawak contingent chef-de-mission Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah who is Assistant Youth and Sports Minister at Dewan DeTAR, Unimas, on, July 16.
Defending Sukma overall champions Federal Territory will be represented by top athletes from Putrajaya, Kuala Lumpur and Labuan. At the last Sukma XVII in Perlis in 2014, FT won a total of 55 gold, 37 silver and 49 bronze medals. Terengganu ended second with a 51-55-31 tally while Sarawak finished third with a 46-32-35 haul.
In the coming Sukma XVIII, ambitious Sarawak are targeting 72 gold medals to become overall champions. -TheBorneoPost
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