Johor Retains SUKMA Overall Sports Championship Title

Johor has successfully defended its overall championship title in the Malaysia Games (SUKMA) for sports, solidifying its dominance in the athletic arena. The contingent secured nine gold medals, exceeding their official target of five, and impressively broke four new SUKMA records. This victory follows their overall wins in the 2022 and 2024 editions of the games.

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Our official target for this SUKMA was five gold medals. We achieved nine gold medals, and that number is the same as the number of golds we obtained previously.

S. Ananda Raja, Johor's Sports Coordinator, expressed satisfaction with the achievement, noting that the nine gold medals surpassed the team's official target, which was set at five based on anticipated athlete performance and the strength of competitors. "Our official target for this SUKMA was five gold medals. We achieved nine gold medals, and that number is the same as the number of golds we obtained previously," he told reporters.

The four new SUKMA records were set in the men's 200m event by Danish Iftikhar Muhammad Roslee, the men's 4x100m relay, the mixed 4x400m relay, and the men's javelin throw by Chai Kai Le. Ananda highlighted that four of the nine gold medals set new SUKMA records, and the total medal count of 21 surpasses the 18 medals won in the previous SUKMA, indicating an improvement in both quality and quantity.

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From the nine gold medals we obtained, four of them set new SUKMA records. In terms of total medal collection, we have 21 medals compared to 18 medals at the last SUKMA, so in terms of quality and quantity, there has been an improvement.

Terengganu secured the second position with seven gold, three silver, and three bronze medals, while Federal Territories finished third with six gold, one silver, and three bronze medals. Ananda attributed Johor's consistent success not to seasonal efforts but to rigorous, continuous preparation. This includes retaining eligible athletes and scouting new talent through events like the Johor Schools Sports Council (MSSJ) championships, ensuring a two-year cycle of uninterrupted training from one SUKMA to the next.

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When SUKMA ends, within two to three weeks we will list the athletes who are still eligible by age and continue preparations. So the preparation is from SUKMA to SUKMA, approximately two years without stopping.