KUCHING: Sarawak’s silambam contingent has returned from the Pre-SUKMA Silambam Championship Johor 2026 with four silver medals and one bronze.
The championship, held in Johor Bahru over the weekends, saw Sarawak’s athletes deliver strong performances against competitors from across the country, particularly in the Thanithiramai and Poruthal categories.
Racckesh Sivanesan led the medal tally with a silver in the Thanithiramai Kuthuvarusai Male event, while Vynea Sija Pehan also secured silver in the Thanithiramai Kuthu Varusai Female category.
In the women’s combat division, Ayu Azzetty Allyya Azmi claimed silver in the Poruthal Women’s under 50kg event after defeating Terengganu in the semi-finals before falling to Selangor in the final.
Nur Aleesya Zahierah Sali added another silver in the Poruthal Women’s 60–70kg category, overcoming Kelantan in the semi-finals before finishing runner-up to Selangor in the gold medal match.
Meanwhile, Jeremiah Jasiel Ireck brought home bronze in the Poruthal Men’s under 55kg division after reaching the semi-finals, where he was narrowly defeated by Johor.
Sarawak was represented by 12 athletes in total across both male and female categories, competing against contingents from Selangor, Sabah, Melaka, Terengganu, Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur, Federal Territory of Putrajaya, Kelantan and Pahang.
The team was guided by coaches Kavibalan Parsuraman, Darshini Meena M. Arumugam and Liresh Anbuselvam, whose leadership helped steer the athletes to a strong overall finish.
The encouraging results provide a positive boost for Sarawak’s silambam development programme as the state continues preparing for the Malaysia Games (SUKMA) 2026 in Selangor and aims to strengthen its presence on the national stage.
