Johor Made History as Overall Champions in the 20th SUKMA

Johor contingent made history when it was crowned as the overall champions in the 20th Malaysian Games or SUKMA XX held at the Malaysian Sports Council (MSN) in the Klang Valley for the first time in 36 years of its organisation.

Held from the 16th to the 24^th of September 2022, the Johor contingent has collected 77 gold medals in total, 52 silver and 43 bronze. The 77th gold was obtained through Javier Anak Harforo in Men’s Light Welter: 75-80kg on the final day of SUKMA.

The Johor athletes exceeded all expectations when they went beyond the original target of 40 gold medals set by the State’s Youth, Sports, Entrepreneur Development, Cooperatives and Human Resources Committee chairman Mohd Hairi Mad Shah before Johor Menteri Besar, Dato Onn Hafiz Ghazi challenged the contingent to exceed his expectation of obtaining 55 gold medals.

Johor’s athletes achieved the 55th gold through Muhammad Ridwan Sahrom in Time 1KM cycling, and the 60th gold through Tan Rou Xin in Women’s Breaststroke 50m event on the same day and the state chef de mission, Datuk Mohamad Najib Samuri then set a new target of 70 gold the next day.

Sonia Cassendra anak Masne in weightlifting 81kg event granted the state’s 70th gold, one day before SUKMA’s final competing day.

Onn Hafiz who was also there during the closing ceremony in his congratulatory message said, “Well done and congratulations to all the athletes, the coaching staff, the management, the Johor State Sports Council and all those who have contributed to the excellent success of the Johor contingent”, adding the state government will recognise and give proper appreciation to all Johor athletes and contingents who have made the name of this state that we love.

Johor has reportedly broken a slew of national records for the 20th SUKMA in Women’s Team 10m Water Pistol event, Women’s 4KM Team Pursuit event, rowing’s K2 500m event and K2 100m event.

Topping the sensational historical champion of the champions in the closing ceremony, two Johor athletes, rower Muhammad Fakhrullah Mohd Rumaize, 21, and 16-year-old swimmer Tan Rouxin were also crowned as the best male and female athletes.

In an interview, Nur Syazlan, Director of Johor State Sports Council (MSNJ) disclosed that the state had spent RM468 million to develop the sports segment, a preparation for becoming the host to the SUKMA XX in Johor that was then changed to MSN in 2022.