First figure based on inclusion of more Sukma XII sports while second on loss of ‘sure bets’

KUCHING: Sarawak have been set a high 74 gold-medal target for Sukma in Terengganu this coming May.

This optimistic goal — from Sarawak State Sports Council — is based on the inclusion of more sports such as volleyball, judo, netball and petanque where the State stand a chance of winning medals.

But the sports associations sending teams to the Games are going for a lower count - 63.

And that apparently has accounted for the loss of ‘sure gold’ through Sarawak athletes now working with the police but have not been released to represent the State.

The two medal forecasts were made after a meet-the-coaches session, organised by Sarawak State Sports Council (MSNS) to set Sukma 2008 targets and receive reports on the progress of the preparations for the various sports.

Sarawak won 36 gold, 42 silver and 55 bronze medals to finish second behind Selangor in the last Sukma in Kedah.

MSNS director Francis Nyurang Ding said among the sure gold medallists who could not obtain release from the police were notably Sarawak-born heptathlete Chuling Attay and athletes in other sports like archery.

In Kedah, Chuling — the subject of a tug-of-war then between the police and her home state Sarawak — finally settled for her employers (police) but this time around the cops have been barred from participating.

Nyurang pointed out that Sarawak had lost quite a number of ‘certain gold’ because of a police standard ruling prohibiting athletes working for the force from representing their home states in the games.

“We have lost our bright medal prospects because of the ruling. The police may have their reason such as security perhaps and we have to respect it.”

He admitted that the gold-medal target was high and it was not known how Sarawak would fare since the scoring system would be based on medals instead of points as before.

“The rule has been changed – it’s now very open. In fact, the playing field is quite level because all the states can now field their national athletes,” he noted.

Nyurang revealed that Sarawak would be recalling their overseas athletes, including swimmers Bryan Lim in Melbourne and Kuala Lumpur-based Daniel Bego, divers Bryan Nickson Lomas and Elizabeth Jimie or track star Mohd Jiromi Reduan who will return for the last phase of centralised training.

In another development, he warned the axe would fall on some of the Sukma coaches — both foreign and local — if they were found under-performing.

“I will make a review. Some will be asked to go if they are not up to mark,” he said.

MSNS has employed some 70 foreign and local coaches and it is normal to let some of them go after every games.