SELANGOR: Sarawak wasted no time making its mark as the 2026 Para SUKMA curtain rose, with Mahathir Mohammad cruising to an 18-3 victory at the Bayuemas Indoor Bowls Stadium today.
The Games, which officially began on Sept 5, will run until Sept 10, bringing together para-athletes from across the country to compete in their respective events.
Mahathir got Sarawak off to a flying start after comfortably overcoming Terengganu’s Muhammad Fadlullah Mazdan in their opening encounter.
Mahathir was competing in the B7 category, which caters to bowlers with minor balance impairments and includes athletes competing either standing or from a wheelchair.
A total of five rounds were played on the opening day, giving Sarawak’s bowlers an early opportunity to test their preparations and settle into the competition.
The convincing victory provided an early boost for the Sarawak contingent as competition got underway at the indoor bowls venue.
However, it was not a perfect outing for Sarawak, with Mohammad Shukri Twkino falling 21-12 to Perak’s Muhammad I’dlan Radzi in his match.
The lawn bowls green provided the opening stage for Sarawak’s 16-strong squad to put their preparations to the test, as the focus shifted from training and planning to competition.
Mahathir’s victory provided an encouraging start for the squad, which will now look to build on the opening-day performance as the Para SUKMA competition continues at Bayuemas.
