PBBS vice president Saiful Shukri (right) and Irwan (second right) with the AB1M coach Suhairuddin Rahmad (left) and the two trainees Abang Syazwan and Irsyad.
KUCHING: Two budding badminton players will be sent for a week-long exposure trip to Indonesia.
Akademi Badminton 1Malaysia (AB1M) are sending Abang Syazwan Abang Ishak, 14, from SMK Bandar Semariang and Irsyad Iskandar Sukiman, 13, from SMK St Joseph to participate in the Djarum Sirkuit Nasional Li Ning Khatulistiwa Open 2015 in Pontianak, Indonesia from Sept 28 to Oct 3.
It is part of the academy’s exposure programme for trainees to test their capabilities outside the state.
AB1M is jointly formed by Sarawak Bumiputra Badminton Association (PBBS) and iM Sarawak.
According to iM Sarawak Advisory Council Member Irwan Zulkarnain Hasbie, the academy seeks to have proper facilities, coaches and programmes to develop local talents to excel in sports.
“The programme will focus on athletic skills, physical training and as well as character building,” he said in a press statement issued yesterday.
AB1M has been in operation since May and currently has 20 trainees.
PBBS president Tan Sri Abdul Aziz Hussain welcomed the formation of the academy which will be officially launched in late October. The academy holds its training programme at the PBBS Badminton Hall at Jalan Sultan Tengah, Petra Jaya.