KUCHING: Sarawak Cycling Association (SCA) President, Irawan Sudarsono, says new facilities, a larger community base, and improved developmental pathways have positioned Sarawak to continue supplying competitive riders to the Malaysia Games (SUKMA) and beyond.
Irawan told Sarawak Tribune recently that the association’s recent national recognition should not be seen as a personal achievement, but as a testament to the collective effort of Sarawak’s cycling ecosystem – from clubs and volunteers to coaches, riders and community groups.
He noted that the foundations for SCA’s current success were laid as far back as 2018, when efforts began to rebuild the association’s credibility both in Sarawak and at the national level.
“There is a lot of work that goes on behind the scenes. The team is constantly being rebuilt to compete at SUKMA level, and we’ve also been working hard to create pathways for riders beyond SUKMA,” he said.
Irawan said the pathways are already bearing fruit, with some riders progressing to elite programmes, others continuing their studies or entering the workforce, and several being recruited into the Sarawak Sports Corporation (SSC).
“For me, this award is really a win for Sarawak cycling, not just the association, but the clubs, the community, everyone involved,” he added.
Irawan pointed out that Sarawak’s rise is partly due to its willingness to be active, aggressive and visible on the national stage.
“We have shown our intent by hosting races, wanting to be part of the national picture, wanting to be heard and respected.
“So, the other states probably have not been as active or as aggressive in that sense,” he said.
With new cycling facilities built for the last Malaysia Games (SUKMA) and the growth of various disciplines, including road cycling, folding bikes, recreational riding, mountain biking and BMX, Irawan believes Sarawak is now in a strong position to expand its talent pool even further.
“We are trying to take it to the next level, building a bigger talent pool of cyclists to increase the growing community,” he said.
“We want to create a larger talent pool to keep supplying our state teams with competitive riders who will hopefully not just represent Sarawak but represent the country and go beyond.”
Ultimately, Irawan said his dream is to see Sarawak produce riders who not only represent the state and country but also compete – and win at the highest levels internationally.
“We can only build the foundation. From there, it’s up to the national programmes and the federation to take them to world-class level. But we want to be the platform that makes that possible,” he said.
