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East Kalimantan eyes athletics revival despite hurdles at Borneo Games 2025

Sarawak’s Grace Wong calls for more athletes to join Borneo Games after claiming gold for hammer throw

Sarawak’s Jonah Chang Rigan dominates shot put at Borneo Games with 17.59m throw

Chinese schools blend tradition, technology to energise campus sports

Borneo Games 2025: Sarawak’s Matthias strikes first swimming gold of the day

Sarawak's Matthias Liew won the first swimming gold medal at the 2025 Borneo Games in the men's 50m butterfly. The 20-year-old clocked 26.14 seconds, exceeding his expectations after competing in the 200m freestyle earlier. Teammate Darren Yi Chen Leong took silver, and Sabah's Samuel Ng Chong won bronze. Liew trains at Selangor's PADE Club under Coach Mark Chua and credits his success to disciplined training, including a three-month stint in the Netherlands last year with former Olympian Marianne Heemskerk.

Borneo Games 2025: Sarawak archers bag five golds on day 1

Sarawak archers dominated the first day of archery at the Borneo Games 2025, securing five gold, three silver, and three bronze medals. Sabrina Chin, Suryani Effendi, Cecil Nathanael Busu Polycarp, Jaccard Lee, and Mohd Zulhanuzam Mohd Ali Borhan won gold in their respective categories. While slightly short of their six-gold target, head coach Jaffery Low Wei Loon praised the team's resilience and hopes to add more medals over the weekend with 12 more golds at stake.

Borneo Games: East Kalimantan’s top 3 swimmers seek championship exposure in Kuching

East Kalimantan sent a small team of three swimmers to the Borneo Games, focusing on gaining experience and strengthening regional ties. Coach Sudarman highlighted the value of knowledge exchange with other coaches and praised the high-quality facilities. The Borneo Games, comparable in scale to Sukma, featured 41 swimmers from various regions, including 20 from Sarawak.

Sarawak to continue building velodrome to encourage cyclists, says Abd Karim

Sarawak will proceed with building a new velodrome despite it potentially not being ready for the 2027 SEA Games. Youth, Sports and Entrepreneur Development Minister Datuk Seri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah emphasized the facility's importance for developing Sarawakian cyclists, who are currently among Malaysia's best. While 16 events are confirmed for Sarawak, including archery, aquatics, and weightlifting, the velodrome's construction near the Sarawak Sports Complex remains a priority.

Sarawak’s young swimmers eager to reign in Borneo

Young Sarawakian swimmers are excited for the upcoming Borneo Games, where swimming will be featured for the first time. 13-year-old Sheamus Chew, fresh off a gold medal win at the SEA Age Group Championships, is confident in his 200m individual medley. Liysha Liung, also 13, is eager to compete and considers the 100m backstroke her strongest event. Older athletes Bong Rui Jie and Claire Lau are aiming for gold in the 200m and 100m freestyle respectively.

Sarawak dancesport athletes sweep 23 medals at Asia Open Championship

Sarawakian dancesport athletes triumphed at the 6th Asia Open Dance Championship (AODC) 2025 in Kuala Lumpur, securing 23 medals (5 gold, 16 silver, 2 bronze) and the Top Scorer Award. Germaine Hii Xin Jing won the Top Scorer Award and a gold medal. Other gold medalists included Jocelyn Yap Tai Xii, Tryna Wong E Qin, and the duo of Calla Roa Tayan Salang and Teo Wei Tien. The Tyng Dance Academy contingent's success highlighted Sarawak's talent on the Asian stage.

Malaysia Super League: Kuching City overcome heat to edge Selangor FC

Kuching City FC defeated Selangor FC 1-0 in a Malaysia Super League match played under scorching heat. Coach Aidil Sharin Sahak praised his team's resilience despite the challenging conditions, which he felt disrupted the flow of the game. A 68th-minute free-kick secured the win for Kuching City, moving them to fourth in the standings. Aidil expressed concerns about future late afternoon matches due to the intense heat, while also highlighting the overturned red card decision via VAR as a key moment in the match.

Sarawak eyes ‘gold mines’ in every sport at Borneo Games

Sarawak is confident of winning the overall championship at the Borneo Games 2025, according to chef de mission Dr Ripin Lamat. Preparations are underway, with athletes and facilities ready for the competition against Sabah, East Kalimantan, Labuan, and Brunei Darussalam. While no specific gold medal target has been set, Sarawak aims to capitalize on every opportunity to win. All sporting events are confirmed to proceed as scheduled, including blowpipe, following confirmation of entries from all participating contingents. The official opening ceremony will be held at the Sarawak State Stadium on September 24.

Nicol David champions youth wellbeing at school in Putatan

Retired squash champion Datuk Nicol Ann David visited SMK Putatan in Kota Kinabalu to launch her foundation's +Play Programme. The program aims to address rising obesity, inactivity, and mental health stress among Malaysian youth through physical activity and structured play. This marks the program's expansion into East Malaysia, following a successful pilot in Sandakan. Nicol led interactive sessions, motivational talks, and engaged educators on integrating sport and play into the school environment.

Ex-Rhinos team manager labels heavy defeat ‘disastrous, shameful’

Former Sabah team manager Ronald Cooke criticized Sabah FC's 8-0 loss to Johor Darul Ta'zim (JDT), calling it "unacceptable" and "shameful." Cooke, who managed Sabah's 1995 FA Cup win, questioned player motivation despite good salaries and called for the Sabah FA's top management, including the president and head coach, to take responsibility. He suggested the team has internal issues and advocated for football experts, not politicians, to lead the state football body.

Sarawak on ‘world map of muaythai’ for world-class events

Sarawak is gaining international recognition through muaythai, thanks to hosting world-class tournaments and producing top-tier fighters. Premier Abang Johari Tun Openg highlighted this achievement at the Sarawak Premier's Cup Muaythai Championship 2025 prize-giving ceremony. He emphasized the government's investment in sports infrastructure and support for international sporting events, boosting tourism and local economies. The Premier commended the Sarawak Muaythai Association (PMNS) for its dedication to developing the sport, encouraging other sports bodies to follow suit. The tournament attracted over 300 fighters from Malaysia and six other countries.

Sarawak regattas set for international stage with new circuit, says Stakan rep

Sarawak assemblyman Datuk Hamzah Brahim believes Sarawak's traditional regattas can achieve international recognition by learning from Indonesia's 'Pacu Jalur' and integrating modern technology. Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg announced a Regatta Circuit to boost the local economy and tourism, transforming traditional water sports into an international attraction. Hamzah urged corporate sponsorship to support organizers and promote Sarawak's cultural heritage.

140 students from northern S’wak display chess skills in Petronas tourney

140 students from Miri, Lawas, Limbang, and Bintulu participated in the Petronas Youth Chess Tournament 2025 held in Miri. The tournament, themed 'Think Ahead, Checkmate!', aimed to promote strategic thinking. The top 20 participants in the Under-12 and Under-18 categories will advance to the grand finale in Kuching on October 12. Winners in the Under-12 category include Hairi Irfanuddin Abdullah, Steven Tiong Hong Zhe, and Muhammad Haqeef Ziqri. Fam Yii Fui, Samson Ezra Jen, and Jude Tie King Hieng won the top three spots in the Under-18 category. The event was organized by the Petronas SW04 Taskforce in collaboration with the Miri Mind Games Recreation Club.

Kuching Marathon 2025 draws 14,000 runners from 37 nations

The 2025 Kuching Marathon attracted 14,000 runners from 37 countries, solidifying its position as a premier sporting event in Malaysia. Datuk Hilmi Othman, representing the Minister of Youth, Sports and Entrepreneur Development, praised the marathon's growing international reputation and highlighted its role in showcasing Kuching's heritage, culture, and gastronomy. He thanked organizers, sponsors, and volunteers, and congratulated all participants.

S’wak swimming fraternity salutes ‘longest serving coach’

Coach Hii Hieng Chiong, 77, and referee Jeffery Sim Kay Poh, 72, are recognized for their decades-long contributions to Sarawak's swimming community. Hii, potentially Malaysia's longest-serving coach, began his career in 1973 after training in Japan and Singapore, later coaching both Sarawak and national teams. Sim, a national and international referee since the 1970s, praised Hii's dedication. Hii is currently coaching the Borneo Games swimming team and hopes to contribute to the upcoming Malaysia Games.

Sarawak lawn bowlers well prepared for Borneo Games

Sarawak's 12-member lawn bowls team is prepared for the Borneo Games (Sept 24-28), aiming to excel in nine events. Their intensive training focuses on men's fours, women's pairs, men's triples, and mixed pairs, with Labuan identified as their main competitor. The squad combines experienced and young players, hoping to contend for the overall championship despite limited pre-Games competition.