MALAYSIA is targeting its first Olympic gold medal in 2024, with the Youth and Sports Ministry and national sports agencies working towards the goal, Olympic Council of Malaysia (OCM) president Norza Zakaria said.

According to Norza, it is important the country prepares as many athletes as possible for the games, not rely on events in which Malaysia is traditionally strong, such as badminton, cycling or diving.

“Definitely we are working towards the goal, gold, not just silver or bronze. We are preparing athletes for this in Paris in 2024.

“We have a good hockey team and good athletes as well,” Norza said, who is also the chairman of the Road to Paris 2024.

In December, Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh said the country should set its sights on winning its first Olympic gold medal.

To date, Malaysia has won 13 Olympic medals – eight silver and five bronze – since first competing in the Olympics in 1956.

Badminton ace Lee Chong Wei is Malaysia’s most successful athlete with three silver medals.

In a Facebook post, Yeoh noted how the country’s various athletes have “a fire in them” and are determined to succeed.

“Malaysia has a spark of flame in her that needs to be stoked. Our nation yearns for a golden age again.

However, Yeoh stressed that the “road to gold” is not just about “bringing home a medal from Paris 2024”.

Instead, she said it would create a template for investment in athletes, help athletes build fan bases, foster a sustainable sports ecosystem, gather data for grassroots scouting, and improve the way the country measures sport development and success.

Improving qualification chances

Veteran sports pundit Zainal Abidin Rawop urged the ministry to ensure as many national athletes from various sports qualify for the Olympics consistently.

Zainal, a renowned sports journalist, said targeting a gold medal has been the dream of every youth and sports minister since Malaysia first won its Olympic medals in 1992 in Barcelona, courtesy of Razif and Jailani Sidek.

Therefore, Zainal said that Yeoh should instead work on how to develop more young athletes.

He added Malaysia has always depended on the same sports man and woman in the same event.

“I have been hearing this since 1992. Every minister that comes in wants gold.

“This is nothing new and we should have won the gold a long time ago because we have already invested billions of ringgit in sports.

“This matter should be highlighted and the minister should look at how to get our athletes to qualify for the Olympics.

“We have to be consistent as well, as we cannot only rely on certain types of sports to bring us medals,” Zainal said.

A sporting nation left wanting

Zainal said Malaysia has always been a sporting nation but is left lacking in so many areas compared to other countries.

Citing the example of national diver Pandalela Rinong and cyclist Azizulhasni Awang, Zainal said Malaysia had always depended on certain athletes in the same sports event rather than to introduce new faces.

“We are still relying on Azizulhasni to get a medal in the 2024 Olympics. How old is he now and why are we still depending on him?”

“Meanwhile, in every international diving event, there is no one else but Pandalela. Again how old is she getting now? Where are the rest of the athletes? We need to get more athletes to qualify and win medals for us.”

“Our badminton is already world class, our archery team is also world class but why depend on the same personality to win medals. This is what the ministry has to study and try to develop,” he added.

Compete to win, not gain experience

At the same time, Zainal reminded athletes to change their mentality.

He said competing in the Olympic is not to gain experience. It is where athletes compete to win medals.

“We need to tell athletes that the Olympics is not about gaining experience, it is a place for you to compete and win.

“I have also been hearing the ‘gain experience’ excuse for years, but did they win anything else as big as the Olympics after that?

“This needs to change. You compete and win medals in the Olympics not to gain experience,” an impassioned Zainal said.

Zainal, who is also a sports commentator, said Malaysia should already be preparing athletes for the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.

“There is enough time for us to get them to be as good as other athletes by 2028,” he added.

Malaysia first participated at the Olympic Games in 1956, and has sent athletes to compete in every Summer Olympic Games since then, except in 1980 when Malaysia joined the American led boycott of the Moscow Games.

Malaysian athletes have won a total of 13 Olympic medals, nine in badminton, two in diving and two in cycling.

Malaysia is the country that has won the most Olympic medals without striking gold. – January 8, 2023.