Formidable challenge awaits Malaysian athletes in Cambodia
04 May 2023 02:27pm
The 32nd edition of the Sea Games is scheduled to end on May 17 - FILEPIC
The 40 gold, 37 silver and 64 bronze medals set by Yeoh for the national contingent to win at the biennial sporting event kicking off tomorrow are much higher than the medal tally the contingent managed to secure at the games’ previous edition in Hanoi, Vietnam.
With Malaysia losing 18 potential gold, 16 silver and 30 bronze following the host's decision here, not listing 57 events from the 2021 SEA Games covering several sports such as diving, rhythmic gymnastics, shooting and tenpin bowling, this medal target will pose a formidable challenge for the athletes to achieve the key performance index.
The country is taking the same approach implemented in Hanoi two years ago by fielding 440 new faces of the 677 athletes and many parties are anticipating whether these sportsmen can create magic on Cambodian soil or return empty-handed.
The national contingent will only compete in 33 out of 36 types of sports covering 340 events of the total 582 due to factors such as the host’s decision to list categories under Cambodia’s traditional martial arts that are foreign to Malaysia such as arnis, vovinam and kun bokator.
Considering that Malaysia has only ever achieved its worst position in the chart, twice in the 1983 edition in Singapore and Hanoi in 2021 (the country ranked in sixth place), it is difficult to predict the country’s achievement here.
Yeoh was quoted as saying that achieving the prescribed medal target was more of a priority than pursuing the top five positions in the medal tally chart.
The initiative to field new faces, including 387 athletes under the age of 23, should be seen as a positive measure in providing a platform for them to prove their ability to compete with other regional champions, which in turn serves as a stepping stone for them to secure a place in the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.
A total of 65 athletes will take part in track and field events to achieve the medal target set by the Malaysian Athletics Federation after they managed to bring home five gold, three silver and eight bronze medals in the 2021 edition.
The absence of the national sprinter, Muhammad Azeem Mohd Fahmi due to his commitment in the United States (US) may hamper their efforts to meet the target, however, the glimpse of another US-based athlete, Shereen Samson Vallabouy, might be a relief for national athletics camp.
At the 63rd Annual Mt SAC Relays Athletics Championship in California last month Shereen clocked 51.80s and broke the 30-year-old national 400m record of 52.56s held by the late Rabia Abdul Salam in the 1993 SEA Games in the Philippines.
She is expected to win gold in the 400m event here which will boost the national women's 4x400m quartet athletics squad to achieve the highest position on the podium.
The national women's 4x100m lineup comprising Azreen Nabila Alias, Zaidatul Husniah Zulkifli, Nur Afrina Mohd Rizal, and Nur Aishah Rofina Aling might spring a surprise following their victory at the Singapore Open last month clocking 45.70s ahead of the host team (45.82s) and Thailand (46.06s).
After sweeping eight gold medals in the 2021 edition, the national diving squad faces a huge challenge to ensure that they continue to dominate the SEA Games following the absence of big names such as the national diving queen, Datuk Pandelela Rinong as well as Nur Dhabitah Sabri and Ooi Tze Liang who are not fielded to make way for the new line-up to compete at the regional level.
Of the eight divers, only Muhammad Syafiq Puteh, Gabriel Gilbert Daim, Bertrand Rhodict Anak Lises, Kimberly Bong and Ong Ker Ying had the experience to compete in Hanoi, while Enrique Maccartney Harold, Lee Yiat Qing and Nur Eilisha Rania Muhammad Abrar Raj are first time SEA Games competitors.
As for badminton, rising star, Justin Hoh’s absence due to the injury to his left Achilles tendon, delivers a huge blow to the team in the effort to hunt for gold in the men's singles last won by the country’s professional champion, Lee Zii Jia in 2019.
All eyes are on Leong Jun Hao (men’s singles), Goh Boon Sze-Rayner Beh (men's doubles) and Yap Roy King-Yap Ling (mixed doubles) to at least improve the achievement of one gold, two silver and one bronze the team secured in Hanoi.
In the meantime, the convincing start of the national Under-22 football squad through their huge 5-1 win over Laos under Group B at the Prince Stadium is expected to ignite the fighting spirit of the players under E. Elavarasan to end a 12-year drought of winning the 'mother of all medals' when Malaysia defeated the host, Indonesia, through 4-3 penalty kicks.
Malaysia’s hockey team has a huge chance to win four gold medals, two each for the field and indoor categories, as well as athletes in swimming, cricket, cycling and karate, provided that they are on top of their game.
Meanwhile, the host country is fielding 896 athletes in the attempt to collect as many gold medals as possible thus making this edition their best achievement since the 1971 edition in Kuala Lumpur which saw them took the fifth place with 17 gold, 18 silver and 18 bronze.
Regardless of the obstacles, it is hoped that the Malaysian sportsmen give their all to ensure that our Jalur Gemilang flies proudly on Cambodian soil until May 17.
Selamat berjuang Malaysians!
-- BERNAMA
TAGS: SEA Games, Phnom Penh, Cambodia, sporting event, Malaysia, Hannah Yeoh, medal, tally, target, preview
