SIBU: The Sarawak Sukma 2018 squad conducted a strength and conditioning fitness test and lecture on nutrition during their preparations for the forthcoming Sukma at the Kemayang youth camp in Sibu here.
Head of ISN Sarawak Joshua Philip and strength and conditioning coach Andre Richards also jointly conducted a fitness test and lecture on psychology and talk on nutrition.
“Our target is two golds but one of our top exponents, Olivia Chang who won a gold in the last Sukma 2016 in the olahraga Putri F category may not be available as she is training with the Police,” said State chief coach Fadzi Jamain.
“Nevertheless, ee are the underdogs even though this current Sarawak team have a lot of talents drawn from throughout the state including places like Song, Kapt, Belaga, Sibu, Limbang, Lawas besides Kuching and Samarahan, “he added.
About 30 of the Sarawak Sukma squad members attended the camp which consisted of mental and physical trainings under the supervision of chief coach Fadzil Jamain and assisted by assistant coaches Abang Erdie Fazerul Abang Pauzan, Mohd Firdaus Rahmat, Dayangky Siti Mariam Awang Masli, Drusani Jemain, Mohd Mazy Zainal Abdidin. Fadzil said the Sarawak squad will be going to compete under the underdog tag as they are expected to face stiff competitions from the other states who had all prepared well.
He singled out Pahang with most of their players being national players, while silat is a subjective sport even though Sarawak were the overall champions with six golds but this Sukma their target is just two.
The squad included several players from other communities such as Vanessa Ak Sylvia Kenawang, a Kenyah-Kayan from Belaga who took part I silat olahraga, Farah Hanim Ismail a Kenyah from Long Busaong, which is four hours by boat from Mukah, who won gold in the regu competition in 2016 Sukma, Esther ak Empi, an Iban and newcomer and Vibenna ak Jeno, 18, a Kenyah from Belaga.
“Apart from Olivia, we do not want to single out any players as we want to focus on the whole team and not individual athletes,”said Fadzil.
For the Sukma preparations, the team have prepared well with several phases of trainings and centralised training camps, including travelling to seven states for exposure cum trainings to several states such as Kedah and training with the Armed Forces.
