Lee testing out his accuracy at the PDRM Batu Kawa shooting range yesterday as Liaw (right) and Chung (fourth right) look on.
KUCHING: With 26 gold medals at stake in the Sukma shooting events next year, state shooters can make an important contribution to Sarawak’s medal tally. So it was quite shocking to find them training in a dilapidated facility with a crumbling ceiling and using old equipment.
So much so that it sparked an immediate response from Assistant Sports Minister Datuk Lee Kim Shin. A visit by Lee to the PDRM Batu Kawa shooting range yesterday saw him making quick personal calls to each of the relevant authorities to make impromptu arrangements for repair work on the facility.
“This facility is very old and is not up to mark. Temporary work still need to be carried out as this is where the athletes will be training until May 2016 as the shooting range in Petra Jaya is still (only) 40 per cent completed,” Lee told reporters.
The only saving grace for the athletes, he added, was that their new air pistols and rifles are finally ready for delivery to Kuching and is expected to reach coaches led by Christina Liaw and Alek Semakin from Ukraine in Jan next year.
“I am confident that the performance of the athletes will greatly improve if they are using the new and modern equipment. The pistols and rifles that they are using now was first used in 1994 which makes it very old,” Lee remarked.
“In actual fact, the issue to improve this facility and the purchasing of new equipments can be ironed out quick if there are not so many red tapes and procedures involved. I am hoping that some of these unnecessary red tapes will be lifted in the near future,” he added.
He then urged coordinators from the Sarawak Sports Council (MSNS) who are supposed to keep close tabs on their assigned sports teams to play a more proactive role by going down to the training ground more often.
Meanwhile, head coach Christina Liaw said the state is preparing to send in a team of 12 athletes (six boys and six girls) to compete in Sukma 2016 from July 22 to 31. She was, however, tight lipped on the
number of golds which they are targeting.
Team manager Chung M. C. said it would be best if the athletes can be sent to compete in international or national events to gain exposure and competition experience. The squad is not lacking in talent. 16-year-old Delphine Chung Qi finished in 26th spot out of 64 shooters from 44 countries in the 10m air pistol event at the Germany Junior Cup in July this year.
“Keep in mind that she is only ten points behind the shooter from Russia who won the first spot,” Chung said.