SHAH ALAM: Beach volleyball players Syarifah Ardina and Livianah Jain had the honour of becoming the first Sabah athletes to enter the competitive arena at Sukma XXII Selangor 2026 on Tuesday.
The Sabah A women’s pair opened the State contingent’s campaign against Penang A in their Group A match at the MBSA Beach Volleyball Court in Section 19 here.
Their opening assignment was made tougher by the weather, with overcast skies giving way to moderate to heavy rain for about 15 minutes after the match began.
Both pairs continued despite the increasingly wet conditions, with Syarifah and Livianah attempting to settle into their rhythm against a Penang side backed by vocal supporters at courtside.
Penang, however, proved too strong and took the match 2-0 with 21-2 and 21-7 wins.
While it was not the start they had hoped for, the match gave the Sabah pair valuable experience as they look to regroup for their remaining fixtures.
Sabah State Sports Council Director Mohd Asneh Mohd Noor and State contingent officials were also at the venue to lend their support.
The Sabah beach volleyball squad, coached by Pauline, will continue their campaign with the competition scheduled to run until Aug 15.