KUCHING: Sarawak did not want to miss the opportunity to participate in the silambam sport at the 21st Malaysia Games (SUKMA).
Silambam, a weapon-based sport traditionally associated with the Indian community is a form of traditional martial art from Tamil Nadu, India.
The host state showcased its diversity by fielding a silambam team comprising athletes from diverse ethnic backgrounds, including Malay, Iban, Bidayuh, and Melanau, as well as Mixed Indian.
Despite this diversity, the Sarawak silambam team delivered exceptional performances at the Games.
Sarawak’s Silambam team manager, Sivanesan Sanmugalingam, expressed immense pride in his team’s performance at the Games.
“I feel that our team was excellent. They put their heart out there, and none of them took it lightly,” he said.
Sivanesan said he sees a bright future for the team and they have the potential to be future champion.
“They’ve only had seven months of intensive training, but they did very well,” he said.
When asked about Sarawak’s surprising success in a sport traditionally dominated by heavyweight states like Penang and Selangor, Sivanesan said the team worked very hard and showed their fullest dedication.
“We’re not typically seen as a heavyweight in silambam, but we managed to surprise a lot of people.
“Many assumed we wouldn’t understand the sport or it is alien to us. But with support from the Sarawak Sports Corporation (SSC) and the National Sports Council (MSN), our athletes received the necessary exposure, training in five different states.
“In just seven months, we almost produced a miracle,” he said.
Sivanesan also noted that the achievement by the team marked a significant milestone, with non-Indian athletes from the state winning medals in silambam at SUKMA for the first time.
Earlier, Sarawak silambam athletes contributed three medals – two silvers and one bronze in the silambam competition.
