KUCHING: A para-athletics team from Sarawak is set to travel to Germany for exposure and training to enhance their development, says Datuk Seri Fatimah Abdullah.
The state Women, Childhood, and Community Wellbeing Development Minister announced that the 13-member team of para-athletes and officials will visit Berlin from June 16 to 25 in a collaboration between Sarawak and Germany.
The athletes include Para Malaysia Games (Sukma) gold medallists in throwing and running events, she said at a press conference on Thursday (June 5).
"They will meet with a Paralympic sports association, sports psychologist, and nutritionist to gain useful tips and undergo training sessions.
"There will also be a career talk focusing on their future after athletics," Fatimah said.
The team will visit the Paralympic Sports Centre in Cottbus, Brandenburg, to gain insight into the setup there.
The trip will allow the para-athletes to train with German coaches and be assessed on their strengths and weaknesses, while Sarawak coaches will collaborate with their German counterparts.
Additionally, the athletes will participate in a German regional para-athletics championship to gain exposure and experience.
"We hope the athletes will benefit from the trip and improve their performance through this exposure and training," Fatimah said.
The para-athletics team is a major component of Sarawak's Para Sukma team.
At the last Para Sukma held in Kuching last year, the Sarawak para-athletics team won 33 gold, 24 silver, and 37 bronze medals.
The team has continued training since November last year and recently excelled in the Para-Athletics Borneo Circuit, securing 53 gold, 36 silver, and 15 bronze medals.
The Sarawak para-athletics team will compete in the National Para-Athletics Championship in Kuantan, Pahang, from June 26 to 29, which will select athletes for the upcoming 13th Asean Para Games in Thailand in January next year.
