KUALA LUMPUR – Olympic Council of Malaysia (OCM) president Tan Sri Mohamad Norza Zakaria has praised the bold aspirations of two national athletes, Datuk Azizulhasni Awang and Lee Zii Jia, who have openly declared their intentions to secure gold medals at the upcoming Paris Olympics in July.
National track cycling hero Azizulhasni will make his fifth and final appearance at the Olympics, becoming the first Malaysian to publicly declare such a goal.
Shortly after, former Asian badminton champion Lee Zii Jia also expressed his desire for a gold medal at the world’s biggest sporting event.
Norza lauded this courageous stance – noting that previously, targets for the Olympic Games were typically determined through consultations between the OCM, the Youth and Sports Ministry, and all national sports associations involved.
During the 2020 edition in Tokyo, the Malaysian contingent took a cautious approach by setting a target of only one medal without specifying the colour.
This strategy ultimately saw Azizulhasni winning a silver medal and the badminton men’s doubles team of Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik clinching bronze.
“Previously, it was the management that wanted this and that. But when our athletes themselves set these targets, we can see that they have the desire to compete.
“It is a healthy spirit (motivation) for them. So, they should not be doubted.
“Although our contingent may not be large, we have the right athletes and ingredients for the contingent to achieve the objective of winning the first gold as desired,” Norza said.
Norza spoke to the media after the signing ceremony between the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) and the National Heart Institute (NHI) today.
Through this agreement, the institute will serve as BAM’s exclusive medical partner for three years, with an annual sponsorship of RM149,900.
Additionally, NHI will offer comprehensive screening packages to benefit 10 national players annually, valued at RM21,000 each, along with similar packages tailored for 60 national junior players, valued at RM18,900 per year.
Moreover, as BAM’s designated medical partner, NHI will extend its support by providing ambulance services for three major tournaments under BAM’s purview, including the prestigious Malaysia Open, Malaysia Masters, and Super 100 events.
“For players to produce results on the world stage, they not only need to be physically fit, but their medical conditions must also be top-notch.
“With this partnership, BAM players will be covered and undergo annual medical checks at NHI.
“This is crucial as we must constantly monitor the health of all our players,” he added. – May 20, 2024