KUCHING: The Sarawak Amateur Boxing Association (SABA) is setting its sights on retaining the four gold medals Sarawak secured at the last Malaysia Games (SUKMA), with preparations ramping up ahead of the 2026 edition in Selangor.
The state boxing squad enjoyed a strong outing at SUKMA 2024, finishing their campaign with 11 medals overall — four gold, four silver and three bronze.
“Our target is to defend the four gold medals we won at the last SUKMA. That is our focus at the moment.
“We are actively assessing the performance of our boxers and will select only the best 11 to represent Sarawak,” said SABA president Datuk Rahman Lariwoo when met recently.
Rahman shared 21 boxers are currently in centralised training, with their progress being closely monitored ahead of the final selection.
Only 11 will be chosen for the biennial Games, eight men and three women, as SABA looks to assemble a balanced and competitive squad.
He also added that three of the trainees are medal winners from the previous SUKMA, bringing valuable experience to the camp.
“Once the final list is confirmed, the selected boxers will compete in the Medan Open in Indonesia and undergo a month-long training stint in the Philippines in July,” he said.
The final squad list is expected to be confirmed in early April ahead of SUKMA 2026.
