|
Terengganu
Banking on
Hot Ganda
Pair For
Pencak Silat
Supremacy |
Dikemaskini :
22 May 2008 08:29 PM
They hail from the
same Kampung Jeram
Manir in Kuala
Terengganu and
studied in the same
school – Sekolah
Menengah Kebangsaan
Belara - and know
each other like the
back of their palm.
And its is because
of that familiarity
that Terengganu’s
pencak silat team is
counting on their
Puteri Ganda pair of
Kamilah Sulong, 23
and Maslinda Zakaria,
22 to continue with
their winning ways
as they gun for a
4-4-6 tally in the
12th SUKMA which
begin here on May
31.
The pair is on a
hot-streak after
winning four titles
since being paired
up after the last
SUKMA in Kedah two
years ago where
Terengganu managed
only one gold medal.
On current form the
duo will be the pair
to beat in the
Puteri Ganda event -
Kamilah and Maslinda
have not lost in any
tournament that they
have taken part in.
Their winning streak
began with the
Kelantan Open in
2006. Last year they
won the Sukan Wanita
(Women’s Games) and
the Pesta Penang
Open.
Their latest success
was in February this
year when they
walked away with the
title in the Teluk
Danga International
Games in Johor Bahru.
Chief coach Alias
Abas speaks highly
of Terengganu’s
prized possession as
the homesters aim
for a 4-4-6 tally in
pencak silat - which
offers 23 golds, 23
silvers and 38
medals in the 10-day
sports carnival.
“Kamilah and
Maslinda are in top
form. They have four
titles to their
credit and I am
confident they will
bag their fifth,”
said Alias.
“More importantly
they are an
inspiration to the
rest of the team.
Our silat squad have
been in training
since September
2006. The team
spirit is fantastic.
We are raring to go
and put up a good
show in front of the
home crowd.”
This is the first
SUKMA for Maslinda,
who is “very
excited” to make her
debut in the
biennial games in
front of her home
fans.
But for Kamilah, the
SUKMA means a lot to
her after making her
debut in Kedah two
years ago.
Incidentally, she
made her debut not
in pencak silat but
represented the
state in karate
where she competed
in kata.
Kamilah failed to
land a medal in
Kedah after being
beaten by a Sabahan
in the
quarter-finals.
But she has put that
disappointment
behind her. The
switching to silat
has paid dividends
and Kamilah has not
looked back after
pairing up with
Maslinda.
“Despite my failure
to win a medal in
Kedah, it was still
an eventful outing
for me. The
experience gained
from my first SUKMA
will stand in good
stead for me.
Maslinda and myself
come from the same
kampung and we
studied in the same
school.
“We are very
close...more like
sisters. We have
trained very hard
for this year’s
SUKMA and hopefully
we can deliver the
goods in front of
our home fans,” said
Kamilah.
Alias chipped in to
say that “lot will
depend on the draw
too” as it can have
a bearing on their
medal hopes.
