BY AWANG MUHAMMAD SYAHMI & SARAH HAFIZAH CHANDRA
KUCHING: The Sarawak Badminton Association (SBA) is set to organise centralised training for its players in preparation for the Malaysia Games (Sukma) 2024.
SBA honorary secretary Ting Ching Zung revealed that they have identified several players who will be selected to represent Sarawak, and that SBA has submitted the player list to the Sarawak Sport Corporation (SSC).
“We have just completed the player selection process, and although we understand that not all parents and players may be satisfied with the outcome, we can only choose from a limited number of players. The SSC and SBA coaches have assessed the players’ abilities,” Ting explained during a press conference here on Wednesday (July 5).
Expressing gratitude for the generous RM1.5mil sponsorship from Pertama Ferroalloys Sdn Bhd, he stressed that the contribution would greatly support SBA’s efforts to provide players with more exposure and training experiences.
“Some of the funds will be allocated to player training and sending them to participate in tournaments both in Peninsular Malaysia and internationally.
“We are proud to share that one of our Sarawak doubles pairs have improved their world ranking from 800 to 300, and one of our women’s singles players is representing Malaysia in the SEA Games and is a key player in the national team.”
He also stressed the importance of balancing sports and academics for the players, ensuring a bright future beyond their sporting careers.
“To encourage academic excellence, we provide incentives to players in the form of prizes and motivation. For example, if they achieve an A in the SPM examination, we reward them with RM100,” Ting added.
