KUCHING: Sarawak’s Special Olympics bowlers returned from Hong Kong with plenty to celebrate after collecting seven medals; three golds, three silvers and one bronze at the 2026 Special Olympics East Asia Regional Bowling Competition held from Sept 4 to 7 in Hong Kong.
Vanessa Nisha Siok and Nelson Donny Sunny led the charge, with Vanessa taking gold in the women’s singles while Nelson topped the men’s singles before teaming up with Mohamad Najib Salmi to win the men’s doubles.
The five-member Sarawak contingent, representing Malaysia at the regional competition, also saw Siti Hamidah Sabri claim silver in the women’s singles, with Najib adding another silver in the men’s singles.
Siti then combined with Mohamad Rizuan Madzi to take silver in the unified event, while the contingent added bronze in the team event.
The competition brought together athletes from Hong Kong, China, Macau, Taiwan, Singapore, India, Germany and Malaysia.
Minister for Women, Childhood and Community Wellbeing Development Sarawak Datuk Seri Fatimah Abdullah congratulated the athletes.
“I am very proud of our athletes. Their success shows that with determination, dedication and the right opportunities, persons with intellectual disabilities can excel and shine on the international stage,” she said.
Fatimah said the significance of the achievement extended beyond the medal tally, with the experience also helping athletes build confidence and demonstrate the value of inclusive sporting opportunities.
“These achievements are not only about medals, but also about building confidence, promoting inclusion and demonstrating perseverance,” she added.
She also expressed her appreciation to the coaches, families and supporters for their continued commitment towards providing opportunities for athletes with intellectual disabilities to participate and excel at international level.
The five Sarawak athletes were accompanied by coach Shirley Chen and Special Olympics Sarawak president Datin Dayang Mariani Abang Zain who also served as the Head of Delegation for Malaysia.
The seven-medal haul contributed to Malaysia’s overall tally of five gold, six silver and two bronze, with athletes from Selangor contributing the remaining two gold, three silver and one bronze.
