In a break from tradition, Malaysian officials leading the national contingent to the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games have decided not to disclose specific medal targets for the event. This shift in strategy aims to relieve athletes of undue pressure and allow them to focus on their performance, signaling a more measured and supportive approach to competition. The decision was unveiled recently, with the Malaysian team setting a general goal of securing 27 medals across 13 different sports during the games held from September 23 to October 8 in Hangzhou, China.
Malaysia's chef de mission, Datuk Chong Kim Fatt, outlined the sports they are relying on to contribute to this medal tally: diving, badminton, track cycling, equestrian, hockey, karate, archery, athletics, sailing, sepak takraw, squash, wushu, and e-sports. This diverse range of sports reflects the nation's commitment to excellence in multiple disciplines.
Chong Kim Fatt emphasized that disclosing only the gold medal target can place excessive pressure on athletes and negatively impact their performance. This decision was made after extensive consultations with various stakeholders, including the National Sports Council (NSC) and Japan's Nippon Sport Science University.
Jefri Ngadirin, the director of the NSC's athlete division, highlighted that many countries, including sporting powerhouses like Japan and Australia, as well as Southeast Asian nations like Singapore and the Philippines, have adopted a similar approach of not revealing specific medal targets. This shift follows feedback from athletes who felt overwhelmed by previous performance expectations.
While individual athletes may have their own internal targets, such as track cycling star Datuk Mohd Azizulhasni Awang's ambition for two gold medals, these targets will not be publicly disclosed. The focus is on creating a supportive environment that allows athletes to perform at their best without the added burden of public expectations.
Datuk Mohd Nazifuddin Najib, secretary-general for The Olympic Council of Malaysia (OCM), believes that the 27-medal target is realistic and attainable. He anticipates that this strategy may lead to even better results as athletes are not weighed down by excessive pressure.
In 2018, Malaysia exceeded its seven-gold target for the Jakarta-Palembang Asian Games, returning with 36 medals: seven golds, 13 silvers, and 16 bronzes. This unexpected success demonstrates the potential benefits of a more flexible and athlete-centric approach to competition.
Malaysia's decision to shift away from announcing specific medal targets reflects a broader trend in international sports and could pave the way for a healthier and less pressure-filled environment for athletes to excel. As the nation prepares for the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games, the focus remains on supporting and nurturing its athletes' potential for success.
Reference: Asian Games: Malaysia take safe way out by setting 27-medal target | Malay Mail
Ronny M is a content creator under the Newswav Creator programme, where you get to express yourself, be a citizen journalist, and at the same time monetize your content & reach millions of users on Newswav. Log in to creator.newswav.com and become a Newswav Creator now!
The User Content (as defined on Newswav Terms of Use) above including the views expressed and media (pictures, videos, citations etc) were submitted & posted by the author. Newswav is solely an aggregation platform that hosts the User Content. If you have any questions about the content, copyright or other issues of the work, please contact Newswav.
