KUALA LUMPUR – For athletes who are not included in the Road To Gold programme, there is still light at the end of the tunnel.
Olympic Council of Malaysia (OCM) deputy president Datuk Hamidin Mohd Amin said today that the door is still open for athletes who are currently not included in the programme.
The programme was established with the aim of clinching Malaysia’s first Olympic gold medal at the 2024 Paris and 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
“Athletes have been briefed and given the opportunity to showcase their capabilities, like how (badminton player) Ng Tze Yong has shown that he is capable of beating top players.
“Our minimum requirement is to be top 10 in the world, but if he continues to perform well and make it to the quarterfinals, semis and final stages of tournaments, then we can rope him into the programme,” he said.
However, for those who are already in the programme and not performing as expected, they are at risk of getting the boot.
“We will monitor their performance and will take everything into consideration.
“If they continuously fail to improve or perform, then we will have choice but to drop them from the programme.
“However, we will give them the time and space to improve, because they are assets that have been trained and groomed for a long time,” said Hamidin, who is also Football Association of Malaysia president.
Hamidin cited badminton singles player Lee Zii Jia, whose ranking dropped to number 10 in the world from number two.
“We must make sure he gets back to his form, and he needs to understand what he should do to come back stronger.
“This is not a matter of fans’ opinion. I won’t compromise, and if he really wants to stay in the programme, Zii Jia should prove that he can get to the semis or final, or become champion of some of the tournaments that he takes part in.
“We must be patient with Zii Jia…sometimes players have problems that need to be solved.
“He is a good player, so we must help him,” said Hamidin.
He was met after witnessing the sponsorship signing ceremony between Milo and OCM.
The agreement will see the partnership between the popular chocolate-flavoured malted powder product and OCM continue until 2028.
Milo has been a supporter of OCM and Malaysian sports since the 1950s.
Also present at the ceremony were past and present Malaysian Olympic heroes sprinters Annie Choong and Tan Sri Dr M. Jegathesan, football great Datuk Soh Chin Aun, swimming champion Nurul Huda Abdullah, badminton legend Datuk Rashid Sidek, gymnast Ng Shu Wai, and diving queen Datuk Pandelela Rinong Pamg. – The Vibes, May 29, 2023
