Sarawak make splash with historic Sukma water polo double win

Shah Alam witnessed a historic moment in the Malaysia Games (Sukma) as Sarawak's girls water polo team claimed gold against hosts Selangor. This victory marked Sarawak's first gold medal in the event, which returned to the Games after a 13-year hiatus. The team led the first three quarters 4-2, 2-1, and 3-3, but Selangor mounted a comeback, winning the final period 4-3. Despite this effort, Sarawak emerged victorious at the Selangor Aquatics Centre.

Captain Sara Tham attributed their success to the strong friendship among the players, stating, "It's such a pleasure to captain such an amazing team. We're all friends first of all. We all bonded really well throughout this training, so it was such a pleasure to captain this team." This camaraderie was complemented by meticulous preparation, with the team's coaches analyzing Selangor's weaknesses before the competition, allowing them to exploit these vulnerabilities during the match.

Sarawak's success extended to the boys' team, which also defeated Selangor 9-6, securing a water polo double for the East Malaysian state. This twin victory denied Selangor both water polo gold medals on home soil.