State Sukma karatekas steal show

SANDAKAN: Sukma Sabah beat 15 other teams to emerge as overall champions in the two-day 9th Sabah Karate Youth Championship which ended on Sunday.

Sukma Sabah garnered eight gold, five silver and four bronze medals to top the standings, while Tenom and Tamparuli finished in second and third place with a medal tally of 4G, 4S, 3B and 4G, 4S, 1B respectively.

Host Sandakan which collected 29 medals could only finish seventh despite winning the most medals with 2 gold, 5 silver and 22 bronze.

Sixteen teams from Sabah and one from Miri, Sarawak participated in the championship organised by the Sabah Karate Association (SKA) Sandakan branch. The closing ceremony of the event at the Sandakan Community Centre was officiated by Deputy Chief Minister cum Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Peter Pang En Yin.

In his speech, Pang congratulated SKA Sandakan branch for successfully organising this year’s championship.

“The new experience and knowledge that SKA Sandakan branch as the organisers and the participants gained from this championship will enhance their individual improvement in this sport.

“The two-day tournament is one of the platforms to select the best to qualify for the coming National Youth Karate Championships in Penang this March and also subsequently the Sukma XIII in Malacca from June 10-19.

“To those who have successfully qualified, I would advise you to work harder until you achieve a gold for Sabah. And for those of you who are not selected in this championship, do not be disappointed, get yourself organised and start training to improve yourself for another championship in the near future,” added Pang.

Self improvement is the name of the game and always do your best in any competition, was the parting advice from the Deputy Chief Minister as he ended his address to a big round of applause from officials and participants.