Sabah misses silat medal target, mulls foreign coach

What happened

Sabah closed out its pencak silat campaign at Universiti Tenaga Nasional (Uniten) in Kajang on Wednesday with one gold and two bronze medals on the final day.

That brought the state's overall tally to two gold, two silver, and three bronze.

Why it matters

The result fell short of the state's medal target. Sabah Silat Association (Pesaka Sabah) president Datuk Alijus Sipil said the association is considering hiring a foreign coach to improve performance at future Malaysia Games.

Impact on Sabah

Sabah's silat squad may see coaching changes before the next Sukma. The association is weighing foreign options to close the gap with stronger states.

Context

Pencak silat is a traditional martial art and a regular medal event at the Malaysia Games. Sabah has fielded competitive athletes before, but this year's output did not match expectations.

Reaction

Datuk Alijus Sipil expressed disappointment over missing the target. He said the association will review its training program and coaching staff.

Next steps

Pesaka Sabah is expected to finalize a foreign coach appointment in the coming months. The focus will be on technical development and preparation for the next national-level competition.