KUALA LUMPUR — Medal targets ahead of major multi-sport events have always sparked debate in Malaysia’s sports community. For top athletes, it is a matter of motivation versus pressure.
In an interview with Scoop, several Malaysian sports stars shared their thoughts on this divisive issue.
Last year, Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh set a general target of 27 medals for the Hangzhou Asian Games, rather than aiming for specific golds. The Malaysian contingent surpassed this goal with 32 medals, including six golds.
Now, as Malaysian athletes prepare for the 2025 Bangkok SEA Games, the question remains: What’s the best approach?
Two-time Olympic bronze medallist Aaron Chia favours an overall medal target.
“Personally, I prefer an overall medal target rather than focusing on specific colours, similar to what YB Hannah announced for the Asian Games.
“When you set an overall target, every athlete and sports association is on a level playing field. However, when you set a specific colour target, certain sports are automatically put under pressure to deliver.
“Every athlete competes to achieve the highest honour, so when we’re already in contention for a podium finish, we all want to win gold, of course,” said Aaron, who is part of Malaysia’s top men’s doubles badminton pair with his partner Soh Wooi Yik.
In contrast, Asia’s top bowler, Rafiq Ismail, believes specific medal targets drive performance.
“I believe targets are essential in everything we do. If there are no targets, what’s the motivation?” he said.
“Some might argue that it puts athletes under undue pressure, but to me, that’s not the mentality of a champion,” said Rafiq, who inspired Malaysia to emerge overall champions at the Asian Championships in Bangkok last month with an impressive haul of eight gold, five silver, and four bronze medals.
World champion bowler Natasha Roslan offers a middle ground, saying that while specific targets might not be necessary, her aim is to bring medals home regardless.
“I can’t speak on behalf of everyone but for me, I am targetting medals in every event I play in. No matter the target set by officials, naturally we want to win medals in every event.”
Meanwhile, seasoned diver Datuk Pandelela Rinong Pamg and weightlifting star Aniq Kasdan prefer setting personal goals rather than chasing public medal targets.
“No athlete is the same, so there’s no right or wrong in personal preference. For me, I always have personal goals for each competition.
“More importantly, it’s about my performance. If I do well, then the medal is a bonus,” said Pandelela, who has won an Olympic silver (Rio 2016) and bronze (Rio 2016).
Aniq echoed a similar sentiment, adding, “At the end of the day, it’s up to the athlete to perform. Athletes must set their personal targets, have the right attitude, and be motivated to give their best every time.”
As the Youth and Sports Ministry and National Sports Council evaluate strategies for future events, the recent RM230 million allocation under Budget 2025 raises expectations.
Whether they adopt specific or overall medal targets, the focus will ultimately be on achieving success—and gold—for Malaysia. — October 31, 2024