KUCHING (Oct 8): Sarawak has plans to bid for a world bodybuilding event to be held in the state in the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Assistant Minister of Youth and Sports Datuk Snowdan Lawan said this matter had been previously discussed with the Malaysian Bodybuilding Federation (MBBF) and Sarawak Bodybuilding Association (SBBA).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe try to bid for the world championship in the future and I think it is good for Sarawak if we could bring the world championship here. This would boost the spirit of the bodybuilders in the state and further popularise the sport,\u201d he told reporters at Kuching International Airport today during the homecoming of national bodybuilders Buda Anchah and Dr Malvern Abdullah.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Snowdan was accompanied by Youth and Sports Department Sarawak director Lamat Nyalau, Sarawak Sports Corporation chief executive officer Dr Ong Kong Swee, and SBBA representative Philomena Dexclyn Siar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cBuda and Malvern are the pride of Sarawak. We are very proud and happy because they are Sarawakians and have competed against the best of the best in the world championship.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThey have brought back four silver medals from the 12th World Bodybuilding and Physique Sports Championships in Tashkent, Uzbekistan \u2013 with Buda finishing second in the 70kg, Masters and Mixed Pair categories, while Malvern bagged silver in the 60kg event.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThis is not the first time that they have represented the country at international competitions and succeeded in bringing back medals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Whenever they competed in the world championships, definitely they would bring back something (medals).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAlthough their age is catching up, they are still very passionate in this sport and are very disciplined and committed in their training,\u201d said Snowdan, who is Balai Ringin assemblyman.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The assistant minister said as usual, for each medal won, the state government would be giving some incentives, and Minister of Youth and Sports Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah would announce this later.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI am hoping more bodybuilders would continue this legacy and earn glory to Sarawak,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
On the development of bodybuilding in Sarawak, Snowdan said it was vital to groom more young talents so that they could take over once the seniors had retired.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe need to have backup bodybuilders and as the gyms are now allowed to open, we will be carrying out development programmes to produce more bodybuilders of high calibre.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cSince we have a lot of talents in the state, we are looking at carrying out development programmes more intensively in the future,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Meanwhile, Buda and Malvern expressed their appreciation and gratitude to all those who had assisted them in one way or another towards achieving their goals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThis success is for the whole of Sarawak, and we\u2019re proud.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cOur training had been very challenging as we had to train at home because the gyms were closed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIn fact, this has been the most challenging year for us but with the assistance from the state government, Datuk Abdul Karim, Datuk Snowdan and others, we managed to overcome all odds to win at the world meet,\u201d said Buda.<\/p>\n\n\n\n