KUCHING: The Sarawak contingent for the Borneo Games 2025 was full of optimism and energy as athletes gathered for a motivational pep talk at the Sarawak Sports Village on Saturday morning.

Deputy Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Entrepreneur Development, Dolhadi Marzuki, fired up the athletes by recalling Sarawak’s victory as overall champion during last year's Malaysia Games (SUKMA) 2024, urging them to carry the same spirit into the Borneo Games.

“Why did we become champions of SUKMA last year? Because we stepped out of our comfort zone and believed in our ability to achieve something extraordinary. The time is now to move forward, to achieve, and to bring glory to Sarawak,” he told the contingent.

Not only did Dolhadi challenge the entire contingent to go for gold, he also singled out familiar faces among the athletes including Hii Puong Jie, a Kuching-born swimmer, urging him to rise to the occasion.

Representing the new generation of Sarawak athletes, Hii embodies the state’s determination to uphold its winning legacy at the Games.

The rousing call reflected the determination of Sarawak’s athletes as they prepare to take on opponents from Sabah, Brunei, Labuan and East Kalimantan in the Games, which begin on 24 September.

With just days left before the competition begins, the pep talk served as both a reminder of past triumphs and a rallying cry to dominate once again for Sarawak and for its people. -UKASnews