KUALA LUMPUR – The Malaysian Athletics Federation (MAF) is undergoing a review of its national coaching structure in the wake of a disappointing performance by locally trained athletes at the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games.
At the Games, Malaysia brought home three bronze medals, two of which were contributed by Muhammad Azeem Fahmi and Shereen Samson Vallabuoy who are receiving their training in the United States.
However, the rest of the contingent struggled to even record personal bests.
Addressing the situation, MAF technical director Robert Ballard said he would meet with all coaches under the national body before making any decisions.
“It is important for me to observe and see what is happening and their position.
“I also want to know how they prepare in the four weeks leading up to the Games, which is normally the critical time of high performance at these events.
“These are some of the areas that we can improve on,” said the Australian.
Ballard added that there needs to be greater synergy between the National Sports Institute (NSI) and the coaches, aiming to better leverage the contributions of sports science in enhancing athlete performance.
“With my presence here I will be able to introduce more sports science approaches into how we compete at major events.
“I will also implement strategies over the next 12 months, hopefully bearing fruit over the next three to four years.
“Things don’t happen overnight, we have to change the culture in training and how we present ourselves when we go to these major competitions,” added Ballard.
Meanwhile, Ballard noted his recent attendance at the Asian Throwing Championships in Mokpo, South Korea, where he sought potential candidates to fill vacancies in the current coaching structure.
“We need a hammer throw coach as Gu Yuan has left the set-up and returned to China. I’ve already put out some feelers out there.
“I’m looking for intelligent head coaches who can come in and educate and expose our current trainers to current strategies and how we approach high-performance sport,” he said. – October 27, 2023