KUCHING: Sarawak swimmers opened their Borneo Games Kuching 2025 campaign with five golds, nine silvers and four bronzes on Day 1, with head coach Hii Hieng Chiong urging his squad to sharpen their mental toughness as the chase for 16 golds continues.
The host state delivered a mix of solid podium finishes and promising performances at the Pandelela Rinong Aquatic Centre, though Hii admitted the opening day’s results were “okay, but not that ideal” compared to expectations.
“We have five golds, nine silvers and four bronzes with us. I think our target for this week is 16 gold medals. I believe we can reach that,” said Hii after the first session concluded on Thursday (Sept 25).
The golds came from Matthias Liew in the men’s 50m butterfly, Hii Puong Wei in both the 100m breaststroke and 400m individual medley, and Chereeen Ngo in the women’s 400m individual medley, underlining Sarawak’s strength in technical and endurance events.
While satisfied with the medal tally, Hii emphasised the need for stronger mentality as the competition heats up.
“For the first day, we didn’t know how good the swimmers were from the other side. Now we know who they are.
“So with a little bit of mental toughness, hopefully by tomorrow they will be performing better,” he told Sarawak Tribune.
The swimming events at the Borneo Games run until Sept 28, and Sarawak are banking on their depth to maintain momentum and hit the 16-gold benchmark.
