SEPANG – Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh hinted that the colourless medal target set for the Hangzhou Asian Games will be continued in the next multi-sports events.
Speaking to reporters at a press conference in Kuala Lumpur International Airport as soon as she touched down from Hangzhou, Hannah added that the colourless medal target was implemented after receiving advice from experts at Nippon Sports Science University (NSSU).
“While in Hangzhou, I spoke to our athletes who said that this method reduced the pressure on them before competing and helped them excel. By not solely focusing on gold medalists, we were able to celebrate silver and bronze medal winners as well.
“If this is what is best for our athletes, then we will continue with it,” she said.
Before the Asian Games started, the Malaysian contingent set a target of winning 27 medals.
The contingent delivered 32 medals.
When asked about the disappointment of the hockey squad, which only achieved sixth place after being included in the Road to Gold programme, Hannah said that the committee will review the performance of all athletes listed under the high-performance programme before making any decisions.
“In sports, there will always be winners and losers. Those who lost do not mean they did not work hard. So, we need to accept both the wins and the losses.
“Experts from NSSU will be here next month, and we will discuss our performance in Hangzhou with them,” she said. – October 9, 2023