PETALING JAYA: The Kuala Lumpur Hockey Association (KLHA) have taken the first step towards helping Malaysia prepare for the 2027 SEA Games by organising the Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL)-KLHA Indoor Hockey Championship.
Held over the weekend at the UTC Sentul and in conjunction with this year’s Federal Territory Day celebrations, the tournament marks a significant milestone as Kuala Lumpur becomes one of the earliest cities to host an indoor hockey tournament following its introduction at the national level.
KLHA president I. Vikneswaran said the tournament would serve as a good support platform in preparation for the SEA Games next year as it would follow the rules set by the International Hockey Federation (FIH).
"The tournament was held based on official indoor hockey rules, ensuring that the technical, tactical, and competitive aspects of indoor hockey were fully implemented," said Vikneswaran.
"This approach not only enhanced the quality of the tournament, but also provided early exposure for local players to an international-level competition format.
"It also aimed to promote indoor hockey as a competitive and inclusive sport among city residents, while serving as a strategic platform in preparation for the 2027 SEA Games."
At the Thailand SEA Games in December, Malaysia settled for silver medals in both the men’s and women’s events in Bangkok.
Vikneswaran added that the flexible format of indoor hockey allows cost-effective execution, as they could utilise existing public facilities owned by DBKL.
"The tournament also served as a medium for restructuring urban hockey development, particularly in efforts to identify, develop, and empower local talent at the grassroots level," he said.
Two categories - men’s open and women’s open - that were held over the weekend were open to teams from Kuala Lumpur and the surrounding areas.
