KUALA LUMPUR: The national sepak takraw team have been told not to take lightly the challenge posed by Cambodia in the men’s regu team event at the 2023 SEA Games in Phnom Penh next month.
National chief coach Ahmad Jais Baharun believed that Cambodia’s move in hiring a Thai coach to guide the home team could well make it tough for defending champions Thailand and Malaysia in the men’s regu team event, which has attracted only three entries.
“It is not impossible for Cambodia to score upsets, as they are well prepared and enjoy solid fan support as the hosts,” he told Bernama when contacted today.
As Thailand are the favourites this time, Ahmad Jais wants his charges to go all out and give a good fight to the Thais, who beat Malaysia 2-0 in the 2021 SEA Games final in Hanoi.
“I want the players to be consistent and battle till the last point,” he added.
Last Sunday, the Cambodia SEA Games Organising Committee (CAMSOC), in a letter to Asian Sepaktakraw Federation (ASTAF) president Datuk Abdul Halim Kader, confirmed that the regu team event would still be held in the SEA Games although there are fewer than four entries.
ASTAF, in a statement, said the regu team event would be played on a round-robin format as fewer than five countries would be taking part.
Ahmad Jais said the national team had entered their final phase of training at the National Sports Council in Bukit Jalil and would leave for Cambodia on May 8.
Apart from the regu team, the national men’s squad will also participate in the regu and doubles events, while the women’s team will feature in the quadrant and team doubles events.
The SEA Games will be held from May 5 to 17. – BERNAMA
