(From left) Ayden, Hudini, Rahim and Aldrich in a photo call.
KUCHING (April 30): While young swimmers dominated the lanes at the recent 6th Sarawak Sprint 2026, the return of several veteran swimmers added a nostalgic touch to East Malaysia’s only short course swimming championship.
The meet from April 24 to 26 attracted 468 swimmers from 16 clubs representing Sarawak, Sabah, West Malaysia, Brunei, Indonesia and the Philippines.
Swimming under Swim Art Club (SAC) in the ‘Open Group’ relay event were 42-year-old Abang Hudini Abang Kashim, head (Group CEO Office) of Sarawak Energy, and 49-year-old Rahim Bugo, managing director of Permai Rainforest Resort, alongside younger swimmers Ayden Wong Yau Shuin, 17, and Aldrich Wee, 23. The quartet finished second.
For Hudini, returning to competition after many years was both exciting and nostalgic as he balanced work, family and personal commitments.
“It was honestly a mix of excitement and nostalgia. Stepping back onto the starting block after so many years brought back a lot of memories from my younger days competing,” he said.
“What stood out to me most was the realisation that the competitive spirit never really leaves you. Even after decades, that focus before the start and the drive to perform is still there.”
A former swimmer who competed up to national schools’ level (MSSM), Hudini said swimming had shaped his discipline and mindset from a young age after starting competitive swimming at seven years old.
“Training regularly, managing school, tuition and competition, and learning how to handle both wins and losses taught me resilience and accountability,” he said.
He added that the lessons learned from swimming continue to guide him in both his professional and personal life.
Hudini, who is also active in triathlon, described swimming as something that continues to keep him grounded despite a fast paced working environment.
“It’s not just about fitness, but also about maintaining structure, clarity and a sense of routine,” he said.
On a personal level, he said swimming has also become something meaningful that he can now share with his six-year-old daughter, who is currently training with Hornbill Swimmers Club (HSC).
“It’s no longer just about my own journey, but also about setting an example and sharing that experience with my daughter before she enters competitive swimming in the near future,” he said.
Meanwhile, Rahim, a former competitive swimmer and water polo player, is younger brother of former Sarawak swimming standout Tania Bugo, who was named ‘Best Woman Athlete’ at SUKMA III Sarawak 1990 after winning 13 gold medals at the age of 14, said he initially felt nervous returning to race against swimmers much younger than him.
“It was exciting and I was apprehensive because it had been so long since I last raced. The other swimmers clearly had been training regularly and were more than half my age, but fortunately we were able to hold on to the lead our first swimmer made,” he said.
Despite the years away from competition, Rahim said swimming continues to remain an important part of his life.
“It allows me to stay fit, it provides recovery from other sports and also allows me to catch up with old friends I would otherwise not see,” he said.
“Fitness is part of your health and as they say, health is wealth.”
Rahim added that his swimming background had also allowed him to transition confidently into other water based sports such as surfing, water polo, underwater hockey, diving and stand up paddleboarding.
Reflecting on the growth of swimming in Kuching, he said it was encouraging to see more clubs, pools and young swimmers involved in the sport today.
“Swim techniques have changed, swimmer wear has evolved and even the starting blocks have changed, but one thing that remains the same is the fun, excitement and the lifelong friendships you can form from swimming,” he said.
Rahim also highlighted the camaraderie shared among swimmers during the competition.
“While Hudini and I swam under Swim Art, we sat in the Hornbill swimmers area and they shared their food with us even though we were swimming for a different club,” he said.
For Ayden, competing alongside experienced former swimmers was both intimidating and inspiring.
“Competing alongside former swimmers felt intimidating at first. They carried themselves differently like they already knew how things would play out,” he said.
“Watching them did inspire me, but not in a dramatic way. I started noticing how controlled they were, how they handled pressure though they were nervous, and how consistent their routines were.”
“It made me think that if I want to improve, I need to be more disciplined in those small things too,” he added.
Meanwhile, a standout performance of the meet came from Sheamus Chew Heng Yi of PASC who was named Best Male Swimmer in the 13–14 age group after winning 10 gold medals and breaking five meet records.
Youth, Sports and Entrepreneur Development Ministry permanent secretary Dzulkornain Masron, who officiated the closing ceremony at the Pandelela Rinong Aquatic Centre in Petra Jaya here, said the competition continues to serve as a key platform for developing young aquatic talent in the region.
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