KUALA LUMPUR — The National Archery Association of Malaysia (NAAM) and the National Sports Council (NSC) are in the process of appointing a new head coach as the national archery team targets Olympic medals.
NAAM president Datuk Abdul Hamid Hasan confirmed that discussions are ongoing and three candidates are being considered for the role.
He expressed the hope that the new coach would be appointed soon to ensure proper planning and preparation for next year’s competitions.
“We are currently looking at candidates from South Korea, but this is still under consideration.
“We’re open to coaches from anywhere, but we’re looking for someone who is skilled, easy to work with, and shares our goals.
“While hiring from South Korea may be easier given our familiarity with their approach, bringing in a coach from another country could present new challenges,” he said in a recent interview.
This announcement raises questions about the future of South Korean coach Lee Jae-hyung, who has been leading the national squad since 2001 and is also the technical director.
Jae-hyung has played a key role in Malaysia’s Olympic qualification journey, beginning with the Athens 2004 Games, and was instrumental in recurve archer Khairul Anuar Mohamad’s historic silver medal at the 2019 World Championships, Malaysia’s first-ever medal at the world level.
Abdul Hamid stressed that NAAM’s primary focus is now on securing Olympic medals, not just qualification.
“We are not satisfied with merely qualifying; we are aiming for medals,” he said.
He also said that national athletes tend to show stronger commitment when working with foreign coaches.
“To be frank, our athletes tend to have a more standard relationship with local coaches, but they give their full trust to foreign coaches,” he added. — November 15, 2024