BALIK PULAU – Penang are targeting 26 gold medals at the 20th edition of the Malaysia Games, which will be held around the Klang Valley from September 16 to 24.
State Youth and Sports Committee chairman Soon Lip Chee said the Penang contingent will participate in all 31 types of sports that will be contested with the involvement of a total of 488 athletes, 102 coaches and 43 team managers.
“We won 32 gold medals in the 2018 edition, this time we are aiming for 26 because some categories of sports events have been reduced, such as in badminton, there used to be a team competition but this time only for individuals.
“Among the gold prospects are karate, silat, judo, archery, sepak takraw, gymnastics and also some other events,” he told reporters after the state flag handing over ceremony to the contingent to the Games here today.
Meanwhile, Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow said under the State’s Sports Excellence Incentive Scheme, gold medal winners for individual events will receive an incentive of RM4,000, while silver medal winners will receive RM2,500, and bronze medallists RM1,500.
In addition, Chow said gold medallists for team events will receive RM2,000, silver medallists RM1,250, and bronze medallists RM750.
“For those who break national records, an incentive of RM1,000 will be given while RM500 (will be given) for new Sukma records,” he said.
He added that the gold medal target was realistic and was confident that the state contingent would achieve it. – Bernama, September 5, 2022
