MOST WELCOMED: Special Olympics Kuching Chapter president Dayang Mariani Abang Zain (right) is all smiles as she receives the cash donation from SMK Demak Baru principal, Fatimah Hamid (left).
KUCHING: Special Olympics Sarawak are making early preparation for their tennis representatives for the 2015 Special Olympics Summer Games.
According to Special Olympics Kuching Chapter president, Dayang Mariani Abang Zain, the selection and training of players will start in February and after the Chinese New Year holidays.
“We are indeed ambitious in our plans to send players to compete in tennis at the 2015 Summer Games to be held at Los Angeles, USA,” she said yesterday on the preparations which will be supported by Sarawak Lawn Tennis Association (SLTA) and LEA Sports Centre.
“Tennis will be a new thing to us but we are optimistic that our athletes can actually take up the challenge to represent Malaysia at the coming games,” Dayang added.
“It does not matter how we will fare in the competitions but what is most important is that our players are there to carry Malaysia’s challenge and to join the games which are specially organised for the intellectually challenged worldwide,” Dayang spoke concerning the objective of joining the tennis competition.
She also disclosed that SLTA will be providing the coaches and training grounds for the players while LEA Sports Centre will be supplying certain equipment.
Dayang was speaking during a briefing for the Sarawak’s athletes bound for the coming Special Olympic Winter Games in Pyeongchang, South Korea, and their parents held at SMK Demak Baru, Petra Jaya yesterday.
The principal of SMK Demak Baru, Fatimah Hamid, also handed over a cash donation by the school’s Parents Teachers Association and well wishers to the athletes.