KUCHING: The Kuching Chapter emerged as overall champions at the 7th Special Olympics Sarawak State Games 2025, securing a total of 131 medals to top the leaderboard.
Minister of Women, Early Childhood, and Community Wellbeing Development (KPWK) Datuk Seri Fatimah Abdullah announced the results during the closing ceremony at the Hikmah Exchange Convention Centre last night (May 4).
Kuching dominated the Games with 51 gold, 46 silver, and 34 bronze medals, followed by Sibu with 89 medals. Samarahan took third place with 59 medals, while Miri and debutant Bintulu secured 37 and 32 medals respectively.
“These Games showcased the remarkable talents of our athletes, including many new faces who stepped forward with courage and determination; congratulations and well done,” said Fatimah.
She also praised Sarawak’s pioneering initiative in establishing a dedicated Special Olympics database, which currently records around 800 registered athletes.
“With this database, we can expand our outreach programmes to ensure more children with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) have the opportunity to participate in sports.
“This not only enhances their self-esteem but also promotes empowerment and capacity-building,” she added.
Fatimah said the state aims to grow the number of athletes beyond 800 in alignment with the Post-Covid-19 Development Strategy (PCDS) 2030, particularly its social inclusivity thrust.
She thanked the Sarawak government for its RM1.9 million grant, which enabled the successful hosting of the Games.
“This support reflects the state’s commitment to sports development and its determination to empower persons with disabilities (OKU) through inclusive and active participation,” she said.
Fatimah also revealed that during the Sarawak Special Olympics Chapter’s AGM on May 3, it was agreed that Bintulu will host the 8th edition of the State Games.
“The Bintulu Chapter has accepted the role, and God willing, we will see everyone there in 2027,” she announced.
This year’s Games brought together 358 athletes and nearly 400 others, including officials, coaches, technical teams, and volunteers, bringing total participation close to 800 individuals.
Seven sports were contested: athletics, football, swimming, bocce, table tennis, and ten-pin bowling.
