SERDANG – Will Malaysia’s Olympic contingent target just one gold medal in Paris, or are there ambitions for more?
The answer will come once the Youth and Sports Ministry, the National Sports Council, and the Olympic Council of Malaysia (OCM) reach a consensus on the country’s goals, which will be formally announced soon.
Currently, Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh has clarified that Malaysia’s primary focus remains on securing one gold medal.
This objective aligns with the national elite sports programme, Road to Gold (RTG), aimed at ending Malaysia’s 68-year quest for Olympic gold.
In addition to track cycling champion Datuk Azizulhasni Awang openly vowing to become Malaysia’s first Olympic gold medalist, men’s singles shuttler Lee Zii Jia also expresses confidence in clinching victory in Paris.
Moreover, Azizulhasni’s ambition has received backing from the Malaysia National Cycling Federation.
OCM president Tan Sri Mohamad Norza Zakaria has expressed confidence that other sports, such as archery, sailing, diving, and badminton, also have bright prospects for contributing medals in Paris.
Hannah clarified that the ministry is currently finalising a briefing paper on Malaysia’s contingent targets to be presented to the cabinet.
“We are preparing a ministerial briefing paper for the cabinet, but as I mentioned, in line with the RTG initiative, our target is indeed one gold medal.
“This is our goal, as we have only secured silver medals thus far.
“This is the aspiration of all Malaysians, not just the RTG committee’s goal, which is why we declare: let’s go for that gold, let’s target that,” said Hannah.
However, it remains uncertain whether Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim will be involved in officially announcing the Malaysian contingent’s targets.
“I believe a formal announcement from the prime minister isn’t necessary because it’s widely understood that our aim is one gold medal,” she added.
During the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, then-prime minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin expressed high hopes for Malaysia’s contingent to secure a gold medal.
However, the national team achieved a silver and a bronze medal, contributed by Azizulhasni and men’s doubles pair Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik. – June 29, 2024