PETALING JAYA: The youth and sports ministry should set a specific goal for gold medals instead of an “overall medal target” for sports competitions, a former Olympian said.
Former hurdler Noraseela Khalid, who ran in the 2012 London Olympics, said having a specific medal target would motivate athletes to perform better.
She suggested that the ministry collaborate with sports associations to set realistic targets for competitions, as the associations are aware of the abilities, and monitor the performance levels, of athletes under their charge.
“If we know that athletes are not doing very well in a sport, we should find the right solution and provide an alternative to ensure they can achieve the target,” Noraseela told FMT.
On Monday, youth and sports minister Hannah Yeoh hinted that the ministry might continue setting an “overall medal target” for future games, instead of specific gold medal targets.
Yeoh said the new approach, used at the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games, appears to have been effective as athletes were under less pressure to deliver.
The national contingent surpassed the 27-medal target set for it, returning home with 32 medals – six gold, eight silver, and 18 bronze.
Meanwhile, national diving queen Pandelela Rinong welcomed the “overall medal target” as a good approach.
She believes the minister’s decision came from groundwork research carried out and through conversations with the country’s sports stakeholders.
“When the leaders do the necessary work, we can set the right kind of targets because no athlete or coach wants to fail in the competition. It’s all about the process,” said Pandelela. - FMT
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