Brunei will be sending a contingent of 138 athletes, coaches and officials from 11 sports to fly the flag for the country at the Sept 13-22 event, a tournament whose significance should not be underestimated despite it being an inter-state competition for Under-21 athletes.
"The Borneo Games is as important as any other tournament because looking at its history and relationship with Brunei, it is the first competition that Brunei has been involved in," said the Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports Yang Berhormat Pehin Orang Kaya Pekerma Laila Diraja Dato Seri Setia Hj Hazair Hj Abdullah at yesterday's flag-handing over ceremony.
"Brunei competed in the Borneo Games before sending athletes to regional and international tournaments such as the Southeast Asian (SEA) Games, Commonwealth Games and Olympics.
"It was a meeting between three territories in Borneo and contributed to the development and excellence of sport in the country.
"The Borneo Games has provided our athletes and sports fans with many sweet memories and is also a sub-region tournament which helps in encouraging the ties of goodwill and cooperation among all the participating territories," he added.
According to an article published in The Brunei Times in 2009, the current permanent secretary at the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports Hj Mohd Rozan DP Hj Mohd Yunos wrote that the first Borneo Games was held at Seria Recreation Club (SRC) in 1954 with the three British Borneo states Brunei Darussalam, Sarawak and North Borneo taking part.
This year's event will see Labuan and Brunei joined by Sabah, Sarawak and four territories from Kalimantan, Indonesia at the Games.
The minister, who also added that he hoped the Games would help prepare the nation's athletes for bigger events, presented the national flag to the contingent's chef de mission Kifli Hj Jaafar at the VIP Room of the Hassanal Bolkiah National Stadium in Berakas.
The country will be competing in athletics, basketball, gasing (top-spinning), football, futsal, karatedo, lawn bowls, pencak silat, sepak takraw, swimming and tug-of-war during the meet with 10-pin bowling and archery the only two sports Brunei will not have a representative in.
Hosts East Kalimantan won the last edition of the eight-team tournament in 2011 after grabbing 57 gold, 32 silver and 37 bronze medals.
Brunei's haul of eight gold, six silver and five bronze medals saw them finish fourth two years ago. The Sultanate sent a 54-member contingent to the 2011 edition, where a total of 636 athletes competed for glory in 13 sports. Brunei recorded their best finish in the event in 2009 when the hosts won 13 gold, 15 silver and 18 bronze medals.
The Brunei Times
