BRUNEI will be sending a lean and mean team to the upcoming 27th SEA Games in Myanmar this month.
The Sultanate will be represented by a 101-member contingent, with 61 athletes, contesting in 10 sports at the December 11-22 biennial competition.
Brunei will participate in athletics, cue sports, cycling, football, karate, pencak silat, petanque, sepak takraw, taekwando and wushu.
His Royal Highness Prince Hj Sufri Bolkiah, the president of the Brunei Darussalam National Olympic Council, handed over the national flag to the Chef de Mission of the national contingent, Hj Muhd Zamri Dato Paduka Hj Hamdani, at the Green room of the Hassanal Bolkiah National Stadium in Berakas yesterday.
Hj Muhd Zamri, who was also the CDM for the 2009 edition in Laos, is hoping that the Sultanate will be able to top their tally from the previous edition.
The Sultanate finished at the bottom of the 11-team table with their haul of four silver and 11 bronze medals in Indonesia back in 2011.
“We are sending a larger contingent and I’m hoping that we will be able to perform better than the previous editions,” said Hj Muhd Zamri.
“It would be great to be able to win a gold medal before the opening ceremony. Our wushu athletes have more experience now and hopefully we will be able to win it this time,” he added.
The wushu event will begin next Friday and all eyes will be on the duo of Faustina Woo Wai Sii and Lee YingShi as they tackle the duilian (duo sparring with broadsword and spear) event.
They finished second best to Singapore in the previous two editions, losing out by 0.01 points in both.
Meanwhile, the Brunei contingent were also given a boost with the presentation of sponsorships from five companies Infotrek (B) Sdn Bhd sponsored a total of 227 neckties and 150 t-shirts while Insurans Islam TAIB and Darussalam Holdings provided 120 travel bags.
Hongkiat Trading & Company provided sports supplements (Pharmaton) which are approved by World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).
Last but not least, Superwater Marketing Sdd Bhd sponsored the team with 400 cartons of Rainfresh Water.
Abd Mutalif Tahir, manager of Infotrek (B) Sdn Bhd; Hj Osman Hj Mohammad Jair, managing director of Insurans Islam TAIB; Hj Mahmud Hj Mohammad, managing director of Darussalam Holdings; Rosnani Abdullah Shim, medical sales representative of Hongkiat Trading & Company and Pg Hjh Mariam Pg Bendahara Pg Muda Hj Hashim, Director of Superwater Marketing Sdn Bhd, handed over the sponsorships to HRH.
Also present during the event was Yang Berhormat Pehin Orang Kaya Pekerma Laila Diraja Dato Seri Setia Hj Hazair Hj Abdullah, the Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports.
The first batch of the contingent will depart tomorrow.
The Brunei Times
