KUALA LUMPUR – Malaysian athletes proved their mettle by beating the medal target at the Asian Games in Hangzhou recently even without two events that garnered gold previously, Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh told the Dewan Rakyat.
She praised the athletes’ performance, noting that the number of medals won was despite the fact that two events, tenpin bowling and silat, had been omitted from the Games.
“These sporting events had contributed 12 medals in 2018,” she said, referring to the Asiad in Indonesia’s Jakarta and Palembang that year, when Malaysia won 36 medals.
Malaysia won 32 medals in Hangzhou, comprising six gold, eight silver and 18 bronze, surpassing the target of 27 medals.
Yeoh, who is Segambut MP, was answering a question by Khoo Poay Tiong (Kota Melaka-PH) about the achievements of Malaysian athletes at the recent Asiad.
Khoo also asked about the ministry’s plans for preparing athletes and sports development for future international sports events.
Some of the athletes who represented Malaysia in Hangzhou were present today in the Dewan Rakyat as observers.
Yeoh said the ministry was planning workshops to review the athletes’ performance at the Games.
“The National Sports Council will organise a workshop to review athletes’ performance in the Asian Games together with stakeholder holders that include Nippon Sports Science University experts on November 8.”
She also attributed Malaysia’s success in Hangzhou to programmes by the National Sports Council.
“The 119 competitions and 41 training exposure programmes were organised by the National Sports Council and cost RM9.4 million.
She also praised the athletes for their fighting spirit. “They won in their minds first even before they entered the competition,” the sports minister said.
Yeoh then made special mention of the athletes who won medals in Hangzhou to the Dewan Rakyat.
This included squash player S. Sivasangari who won two golds; one in the women’s singles and another in the women’s team event. Yeoh said this showed the “empty spot left by Datuk Nicol Ann David has now been filled”.
Ng Eain Yow also won the squash men’s singles gold.
Meanwhile, Qabil Ambak created history by winning the nation its first Asian Games gold medal in equestrian.
Nur Shazrin Mohd Latif also became the first Malaysian athlete to win a gold medal in sailing, and the victory secured her qualification for next year’s Paris Olympics.
In karate, Ariff Afifuddin won gold in the men’s kumite below 84kg. – October 19, 2023