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Call for setting up of weightlifting academy

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Rentap (fourth left) and the others watch Mohd Akmal Manja lifting up a mass of 40kg at the launching of the school’s weightlifting gym centre.

MIRI: A weightlifting academy centre should also be set up here in Sarawak; similar to what has been built in Melaka.

This is to unearth and groom new talents to strengthen the state’s existing squad in preparation for the Sukan Malaysia (SUKMA) in the future, said Deputy Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Gerald Rentap Jabu.

Met on Saturday morning after gracing the opening of SMK St Joseph Miri’s weightlifting gym centre, Rentap said, currently, there is only one weightlifting academy available in Malaysia and that is in Melaka.

“In Sarawak, we don’t have such facility to groom our young lifters, despites having potential athletes in weightlifting and we are hoping the Federal Sport Ministry to consider of the setting up of the (weightlifting) academy here (in Sarawak),” said Rentap who is also Sarawak Weightlifting president and a vice- president of the national body.

He added, with the establishment of this academy in future, it would be a boost to young lifters to further develop and enhance their potential.

“In the recent Commonwealth Games, we could see the improvement of our (Sarawak) athletes in the weightlifting, and that is why I believed we need to do some refinement on the facilities,” he pointed out.

Rentap also disclosed that Sarawak’s weightlifting sport needs more coaches and female lifters.

“Weightlifting is becoming more popular with teenage girls, … and I believe we have many potential young lifters amongst the young girls,” he said.

He added that his ministry is planning and hoping to produce at least eight athletes in weightlifting sport as for their preparation in the upcoming event.

At the launching of the SMK St Joseph Miri’s gym centre, Rentap also approved allocation amounting to RM100,000 (RM70,000 to the school’s weightlifting development; RM20,000 to the school’s Parent-Teacher Association and RM10,000 for the school’s annual activities).

Also present were the school’s principal Peter Use Lenjau and its PTA’s chairman Mathew Silek.

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