Kota Kinabalu: Sabah women’s futsal squad is determined to seize the opportunity to make a mark in the Selangor 2026 Malaysia Games (Sukma), especially after the event was not held in the previous edition.
Team manager Herwan Mohd Daud is optimistic about the team’s prospects, targeting a podium finish with the ultimate goal of winning gold.
He highlighted the team’s ambition to become the first Sabah women’s futsal team to capture a gold medal at the Games.
“Our hopes and targets for this edition are indeed huge. We want to at least be on the podium and gold is definitely a target,” he stated.
In preparation for the event since May, the squad had participated in numerous friendly matches, including a four-corner tournament.
“The series of friendly matches was important to enable the coaching staff to assess the players’ abilities from tactical, fitness, mental, and team compatibility aspects,” he said.
Sabah’s group matches are set to begin against Selangor on August 15 at 11am, followed by Kelantan on August 16 at 4pm, and concluding against the Federal Territory on August 17 at 11am, all at Venue Sporttiza, Batu 3, Shah Alam.
Herwan underscored the importance of these opening matches and expressed confidence in the players’ dedication.
“We want to start well and take one match at a time to achieve the set targets.”Meanwhile, the Sabah rhythmic gymnastics (gymrama) team is determined to give the best performance in every routine they compete in at Sukma.
Team manager Elena Sidekly expressed the team’s determination to excel in every routine they perform.
With a squad of 10 athletes and two coaches, she said the team’s primary goal is to secure a gold medal, although they have set their sights on finishing in the top three as an equally commendable achievement.
“Everyone wants a medal, but we are grateful to be given the opportunity to be in the top three. Our target is a bronze medal.” According to her, the team has been steadily preparing for the competitions, undergoing intensive training for nearly eight months.
“Our main focus is to ensure that all athletes showcase their best performance and execute each routine neatly and without mistakes,” she added.
She highlighted that the gymnasts in preparation for Sukma under the guidance of coaches Zovi Tie Yu Pei and Christylyn Leikson, had achieved remarkable results at the National Rhythmic Gymnastics Championships in May by winning a silver medal in the ball event and a bronze in the ribbon event.
