KUCHING: Datuk Paruwadi Musa will oversee the preparation and management of the national team participating in chinlone at this year’s SEA Games.
The Sarawak-born Malaysia Sepak Takraw Association (PSM) deputy president confirmed that Malaysia will partake in chinlone, which is another form of sepak takraw.
He is optimistic that Malaysia will win more medals in sepak takraw in the coming SEA games.
Host Myanmar announced recently that they have included chinlone among the sports events to be contested. Eight gold medal will be up for grabs for chinlone.
“We all know that Myanmar’s decision to include chinlone will give them the advantage in winning more gold medals during the games.
“We’ll just have to do our best and hope that Malaysia will win something out of it as well,” said Paruwadi.
Played widely in Myanmar, chinlone is considered more of an art form with the main principle of keeping the ball up in the air by each team of four players.
Chinlone also uses the same sepak takraw rattan ball.
“This will be the first time that our national athletes compete in this event. Although chinlone is somewhat new for Malaysia, we are quite familiar with the rules and regulations,” Paruwadi added.
“We will do our best to prepare the national team for this event. This is also a good chance for us,” he believed.
Malaysia is expected to send eight male and eight female players to compete in chinlone.
Most of the players selected for chinlone are from the national “B” sepak takraw team.
The 27th Southeast Asian Games is scheduled to be held in the Myanmar new capital, Naypyidaw, as well as in two other main cities Yangon and Mandalay this December.