Brunei Darussalam remains committed to providing basic infrastructure, access and resources pertaining to sports with the aim to accommodate athletes with training especially in their preparations for national, regional and international tournaments.

A selection of indoor and outdoor facilities cater to a wide spectrum of sports to ensure athletes have the environment where they can fine-tune their skills and strive towards excellence in competition.

As a sports-mad nation, the Sultanate has also provided facilities for recreational use such as various multi-purpose halls or centres that house a diverse range of sports.

Together with good coaching, nutrition, strength and conditioning, the quality of sports infrastructure should serve as a basic foundation towards producing better athletes who are capable of delivering top results in competition.

The renovation project of the Hassanal Bolkiah National Stadium is a prime example of quality infrastructure to enable athletes train with ease and convenience.

Starting with the Budiman Walk route that stretches towards the giant staircase at the Hassanal Bolkiah National Stadium, a concentrated area for multiple sports can be found which suits both recreational enthusiasts and national athletes.

The Hassanal Bolkiah National Stadium. PHOTOS: BAHYIAH BAKIR The Track and Field of the Hassanal Bolkiah National Sports Complex

The Billiards and Snooker Hall is conveniently located along the corridors of the national stadium. It traditionally hosts major domestic competitions such as national championships and the Brunei Darussalam National Games (SKBD) as well as providing a training venue for national athletes.

It boasts standard pool and snooker tables complete with scoreboard, players’ seats and an elevated seated area to enhance spectators’ experience. In addition, a separate room also features tables for athletes to practice before they take part in a match.

Adjacent to the Billiards and Snooker Hall II are the National Tennis Centre and the Swimming Pool of the Hassanal Bolkiah National Sports Complex. The swimming pool recently hosted a regional competition, namely the Southeast Asian Age Group Championships in 2017, while the national tennis centre is suitable for recreational and training use.

The neighbouring Track and Field of the Hassanal Bolkiah National Sports Complex holds football matches and athletics training specifically for long jumps and hurdle races.

When measures were initially eased during the first wave of COVID-19 outbreak last year, athletes resumed training at the Berakas-based venue.

On a regional level, the Track and Field of the Hassanal Bolkiah National Sports Complex was designated as one of the venues for the Hassanal Bolkiah Trophy (HBT) Under-21 tournament.

The area is also dedicated to sports such as squash, hockey, lawn bowls, petanque with an indoor stadium which has hosted several international competitions in wushu, badminton, basketball and netball.

Golf is one of the popular sports in the country and a selection of courses has been regularly frequented for driving purposes and a round of 18 holes.

The Empire Golf & Country Club is a Jack Niklaus-designed golf course and boasts spectacular views overseeing the South China Sea. The venue previously hosted regional competitions including the Asian Development Tour (ADT) in 2019.

Bowling centres such as Golden Bowling and Utama iBowl are mainly popular places for the country’s leading players and are seen as the ideal choices for recreation, entertainment and training.

Another significant venue is the Menglait Sports Complex, which is home to combat sports such as karate and taekwondo, badminton and wushu.

Recently, fencing athletes also moved to the venue following their relocation from their training base at the Hassanal Bolkiah National Stadium.

Furthermore, numerous futsal courts are provided including the Public Works Department (JKR) Sports Complex, Universiti Brunei Darussalam (UBD) Sports Complex, Berakas Sports Complex, Universiti Teknologi Brunei (UTB) and more.

Meanwhile, the main basketball venue in the country is the Brunei Basketball Association (BBA) court in Batu Bersurat.

In 2016, the court underwent renovation in line with the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) specifications to ensure a quality playing surface for both training and competition purposes.

The refurbished court is also hoped to further fuel interest of the younger generation in basketball.