Sarawak’s Sukma kabaddi squad poses for a group photo with the state flag upon their arrival in Krabi, Thailand.
KUCHING (July 17): The Sarawak kabaddi squad has stepped up preparations for the 2026 Malaysia Games (Sukma) in Selangor with a two-week intensive training camp and a series of friendly matches in Krabi, Thailand.
Sarawak men’s and women’s head coach Ganisan Punisamy said the team departed for Kuala Lumpur on Tuesday before continuing their journey to Krabi on Wednesday for the training programme at the Krabi Kabaddi Academy.
“We left for Kuala Lumpur on Tuesday and travelled to Krabi on Wednesday for intensive training and friendly matches with the Thailand national junior team. We will return to Kuching on July 27,” he told The Borneo Post when contacted on Thursday.
He said the overseas stint forms part of the state team’s final preparations for Sukma, adding that it is the second time Sarawak has held an intensive training camp in Krabi after first doing so in 2024 ahead of the previous edition of the Games.
Meanwhile, Sarawak Kabaddi Association (SKA) president Muttiah Pillai VP Sinnathambi said the training camp and friendly matches were made possible through the collaboration between the Southeast Asia Kabaddi Federation and the Kabaddi Association of Thailand.
He said the initiative was also supported by the Kabaddi Association of Malaysia, with Sarawak becoming the first Malaysian team to benefit from the collaboration when it attended a similar programme in Krabi in 2024.
Muttiah noted that Thailand had emerged as the kabaddi gold medallist at the recent Southeast Asian Games and credited the country’s progress to the guidance of Indian coach Ravi, who has been working with the Thai national programme for the past few years.
He said the exposure in Thailand is expected to further strengthen Sarawak’s preparations as the state aims to remain competitive at Sukma.
At the previous Sukma in Sarawak in 2024, the men’s team claimed the bronze medal after defeating Perak 38-36 in the third place playoff, while the women’s team finished outside the medal positions.
The kabaddi competition at this year’s Sukma in Selangor is scheduled to be held from Aug 14 to 18 at Stadium MBSJ Serdang Jaya, with gold medals to be contested in the men’s and women’s categories.