Kota Kinabalu: Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Ellron Angin is confident the State Para athletes will achieve their 40-gold target at the 5th Para-Sukma (Malaysia Games) in Kuala Lumpur starting on November 1 until November 6.
Sabah will be represented by 109 athletes and they are to take part in nine out of 10 sports in badminton, archery, table tennis, swimming, athletics and powerlifting which are compulsory events, as well as chess, tenpin bowling and lawn bowling that are optional sports.
“I am full of confidence that our 109 athletes have done their best to prepare for the competition and to realise the dream of bringing home 40 gold medals to the “Land Below The Wind’ that we love,” he said during the handing over of the State flag to the contingent held at the Sabah Youth and Sports Department hall on Friday.
He was also pleased to notice that only 70 per cent of the athletes are those that helped Sabah to win 36 golds, 28 silvers and 30 bronze at the previous meet in 2018 to finish second behind Sarawak.
“I was informed that 30 per cent of the team members are representing the State for the very first time and this shows that the Youth and Sports Ministry through the Sabah Sports Council always take the Para athletes seriously especially in finding new talents with systematic training just like we do for ‘able’ athletes.
“In the eyes of my Ministry, all these athletes are the same, there is no difference between them and the medal winning incentive is also the same,” he added.
Meanwhile, present at the ceremony were Sabah Youth and Sports Department director Apui Jan and his deputy Noorman Ramlan, Sabah Sports Board chairman Osman Aganduk, Youth and Sports Ministry permanent secretary Datuk Mansur Asun and his deputy Putera Jali, Sabah Sports Council director Asneh Mohd Noor and Sabah Sports Board manager Terrance Pudin.
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