Target too high for Malaysian athletes?

 

It is easy to set a target but it’s tough to achieve it. That also applies to the Malaysian Athletics Federation (MAF) which has set a 10-gold target for the Sea Games track and field events which begins tomorrow at Morodok Techno National Stadium in Phnom Penh. - AFP file pic

KUALA LUMPUR: It is easy to set a target but it's tough to achieve it. That also applies to the Malaysian Athletics Federation (MAF) which has set a 10-gold target for the Sea Games track and field events which begins tomorrow at Morodok Techno National Stadium in Phnom Penh.

Already, Malaysia did not have a good start in the men's marathon and 20km walk at Siem Reap on Saturday as our three athletes failed to get a single medal.

MAF, it seems, is too ambitious in asking its athletes to produce 10 gold in the five-day meet.

At the Hanoi Sea Games last year, Malaysia got only five gold, three silver and eight bronze, and finished fourth in the athletics medal standings.

All five gold were won by field athletes, and this time the pressure will be on the track athletes to do their part in meeting MAF's 10-gold target.

Are Malaysians capable of matching Vietnam who have emerged as the new power in athletics and the formidable Thais? In Hanoi, Vietnam achieved 22-14-8 followed by Thailand 12-11-8.

A veritable 47 athletics gold medals are on offer in Phnom Penh, but the form book says Malaysia, represented by 38 men and 27 women, will face a daunting challenge.

Athletes from countries like Vietnam, Thailand, the Philippines and Singapore have shown much progress in track and field, and in most cases, better than Malaysians.

Thailand boast of speed demon Puripol Boonson, who at the remarkable age of 16, captured three gold in the 100m, 200m and 4x100m in Hanoi last year. He has a personal best of 10.09s in the 100m.

Singapore's top Asia women's sprinter Shanti Pereira is expected to do a double sprint sweep. Her times are scorching, and her PB for the 100m is 11.37 and 200m is 22.89.

As such, Malaysian track athletes will find it a battle to finish on the podium, but gold looks out of reach.

But whatever it is, Malaysian athletes are still targeted by MAF to finish first in at least 10 events. Well, our athletes are not that bad, and this is not the Olympics or Asian Games. And the top of the podium in Southeast Asia is not exactly Everest.

But seriously, another poor run in Phnom Penh by Malaysian athletes will see the MAF and its athletes flayed by sports fans, Olympic Council of Malaysia and the Sport Ministry.

Sea Games athletics team manager Datuk R. Annamalai knows his athletes have no excuse not to perform after all the preparations.

He said despite the humid weather and cramped accommodation of eight athletes in one apartment in Cambodia. the team are in high spirits and ready to deliver.

"We hope for a good start on the first day."

Annamalai said Savinder Kaur, who won two gold in the recent Singapore Open, can spring a golden surprise in the in women's 1500m today.

He said men's and women's hammer throwers Jackie Wong and Grace Wong will also be in action today.

"They had a one-month training stint in Chengdu, China. We want them to retain their gold.

"We hope Shereen Samson Vallabouy, who has a PB of 51.80, will win gold.

"The other athletes who we hope will win gold are Irfan Shamsuddin (men's discus), Andre Anura Anwar (men's triple jump), Nor Sarah Adi (women's pole vault) and Nani Sahidah Maryata (women's shot putt)

"We are keeping our fingers crossed that one or two of our youngest athletes will also deliver gold in Phnom Penh," said Annamalai.

Malaysia Games champion Arysad Saat and Jonathan Nyepa, and Zaidatul Husniah Zulkifli and Nur Afrina Batrisyia will compete in the men's and women's 200m heats today.

MAF looks for a good start today, but Malaysia's regional rivals look to be already far ahead in athletics development. - NST