Skip to main content

Shabery: We can surpass target

(From left): Mohd Amir Mohd Yusof, Nor Iryani Azmi, Siti Zalina Ahmad, Nor Hashimah Ismail and Azim Azami Ariffin with the Jalur Gemilang after the flag-handing over ceremony in Putrajaya yesterday. — Picture by Fariz Iswadi Ismail.
(From left): Mohd Amir Mohd Yusof, Nor Iryani Azmi, Siti Zalina Ahmad, Nor Hashimah Ismail and Azim Azami Ariffin with the Jalur Gemilang after the flag-handing over ceremony in Putrajaya yesterday. — Picture by Fariz Iswadi Ismail.
SPORTS Minister Datuk Ahmad Shabery Cheek believes national athletes have the pedigree to surpass the medal targets of the New Delhi Commonwealth Games and Guangzhou Asian Games. Malaysian athletes have been set a goal of winning 10 gold medals in the Commonwealth Games and eight in the Asian Games.

"We, as Malaysians, must show the world that we can do it. Our athletes must show their commitment and dedication during their events in both Games," said Ahmad Shabery at the Commonwealth Games flag-handing ceremony in Putrajaya yesterday.

"I strongly believe our athletes can surpass the medal targets if they perform to their true potential. Our athletes should also look back to how Malaysia performed in last year's Laos Sea Games. Our target then was between 30 and 35 gold but our athletes went on to win 40 gold.
"The performance in Laos proved that our athletes have the pedigree to perform at the highest level. Now, they must do the same in both New Delhi and Guangzhou."

National Sports Council (NSC) director-general Datuk Zolkples Embong and Olympic Council of Malaysia president Tunku Imran Tuanku Ja'afar also attended the event.

The sports ministry and the NSC have targeted gold medals in badminton, cycling, lawn bowls, weightlifting, squash, archery and diving in New Delhi.

"Weightlifting and cycling are also big possibilities now. Our weightlifters have a chance as several of India's top athletes have been suspended for doping. We also have a bright chance in cycling as several top cyclists like Chris Hoy (Britain) are not competing in New Delhi," he said.

Malaysia have targeted gold medals in sailing, badminton, bowling, squash and wushu in the Asian Games.

On security concerns in India, Ahmad Shabery said athletes should not be worried as India is doing its best in terms of safety aspects.

At the function, Ahmad Shabery handed the Jalur Gemilang to Chef-de-Mission Tan Sri Halim Mutalib, who in turn presented it to lawn bowler Siti Zalina Ahmad, who is the flag bearer for the Commonwealth Games


Read more:NST

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Ex-coach's jail sentence cut to a year

PUTRAJAYA: The Court of Appeal yesterday sentenced former athletics coach C. Ramanathan to 12 months' jail for molesting two junior athletes 19 years ago. A three-man bench led by Datuk Mohd Hishamudin Mohd Yunus unanimously dismissed Ramanathan's appeal against conviction, but varied the jail sentence of four years to a year, which was to run concurrently. Following yesterday's ruling, Ramanathan, 75, a former teacher, walked out a free man as he had served 10 months in Kajang Prison. Convicts get one-third remission for good behaviour while in prison. However, he will lose his pension. Hishamudin, who sat with Datuk Abdul Wahab Patail and Datuk Linton Albert, said the court found no merit to overturn the conviction. "However, in reducing the sentence, we considered Ramanathan's age and the long years the appeal has taken." Deputy public prosecutor Awang Armadajaya Awang Mahmud submitted that then High Court judge Tan Sri Abdull Hamid E...
2 comments
Read more

Govt Always Gives Emphasis To Sporting Culture, Says PM

KUALA TERENGGANU, May 29 (Bernama) -- Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badaw i said the government always gives emphasis on cultivating a strong sporting culture in achieving excellence at the international level. As such, the Prime Minister said, it was important to scout for young talents in sports. "I observe that the Malaysia Games (Sukma) has become one of the important platforms to do so. "In this arena, the potentials and skills of the youngsters can be identified for development so that they can achieve greater success in sports," he said in his message in the souvenir book of the 12th Sukma from May 31 until June 9. Abdullah said he was aware that competition in sports was very keen and challenging but this did not mean that Malaysian athletes were incapable of competing at the international level. "The fact is that we have all the characteristics required to be excellent. We must inculcate a strong fighting spirit so that we don't easily surrender,...
1 comment
Read more

Indonesia Choose Komodo Dragon As SEA Games Mascot

KUALA LUMPUR, April 26 (Bernama) -- Host for the 26th SEA Games, Indonesia has chosen the Komodo dragon as mascot for the 2011 Games which will be held in Jakarta and Palembang from Nov 11 to 25. The Indonesia SEA Games Organizing Committee (Inasoc), was qouted by Jakarta Post as saying that a pair of Komodo dragons, a male (Modo) and a female (Modi), were chosen in recognition of the Republic's conservation efforts to protect the dwindling number of the rare lizard. Modo and Modi were unveiled last night at a function in Jakarta, to mark the 200-day countdown before the games open on Nov 11 in Palembang. The Komodo dragons, the largest lizard in the world, only live on the Indonesian islands of Komodo in Flores, East Nusa Tenggara. On Jan 15, Inasoc unveiled its logo, a Garuda eagle, to symbolize the power and grandeur of Indonesia. Indonesia dominated the Games between 1977, when it first competed, and 1997, failing to top the medal charts only twice in that p...
1 comment
Read more