DEFEAT THE BEST TO BE A TRUE CHAMPION
There is no short cut to become a champion and one has to take the bull by the horn to be a true champion.
While Malaysia are celebrating having achieved their target of 27 medals (no specific medal target set to avoid putting pressure on the athletes) yesterday, which came after kata exponent Lovelly Anne Robberth won the silver in the women’s individual kata final at the Linping Sports Centre Gymnasium after losing to Japan’s Kiyou Shimizu, who had won gold in two consecutive editions in 2014 and 2018, a fair review should be conducted.
At the end of the night, Malaysia’s medal tally stood at 5 gold, 6 silver and 17 bronze for a total of 28 medals and stood 14th in the table and ranked 13th in terms of medal totals.
Host China, continued to top the table with 179 gold medal – 99 silver and 55 bronze for a total of 333 medals as their pursued their target to achieve 200 gold medals to surpass their previous best of 199 at the Gangzhou Asian Games in 2010
Followed by powerhouses Japan (44-54-60), Republic of Korea (33-47-60) and India (21-32-33). Among South East Asian countries, Thailand lead in eight spot with 10 gold, 16 silver and 9 bronze, while Indonesia lies one rung above Malaysia in 13th spot with 6-10-17 and Singapore in 16th spot with 3-6-6.
At the 2018 Games in Indonesia, Malaysia posted its third best performance with seven gold among 36 total medals. Malaysia’s last best performance was in 2010 in Gangzhou where they won 9 gold, 18 silvers and 14 bronze for a total 41 medals, while the best performance was in 2006 in Doha – 8-17-17 – for a total haul of 42 medals.
Thus, Malaysia’s performance should be viewed as not having achieved the target, but against previous performances.
We should be striving to improve from previous Games, as it called progression and not set lower targets and even running away from setting gold medal targets.
Of course, with another two days of competition Malaysia will be looking at increasing their total medal haul from sports like karate, equestrian, dragon boat, sepak takraw, Esports, gymnastics and badminton.
Again ready-made excuses are already in place with statements like these already said: “Malaysia have already “lost” 12 medals (won from the previous edition in Indonesia) due to certain events not being held this time in Hangzhou.”
While there was a silver lining in Malaysia’s performance where several of the medal winners were younger set of athletes, which augurs well for the future.
Malaysia too should be thanking their lucky stars that several sports like equestrian and sailing delivered medals, while disqualification of Bahrain won a bronze in the 4 X 100m women’s relay.
All said and done, the question to be answered is whether the money spent on preparation for the Asian Games equates the returns in medals.
Or was enough spent, especially in overseas training and exposure and whether our young potentials received enough support in their preparations to the Games.
Of course, one sore point will be the hockey team, who had themselves targeted gold by themselves boldly predicted to qualify for the Paris Olympics.
While they failed to qualify for semifinals and had to be content to play in the 5th and sixth placing this afternoon against Pakistan, it was not trying that they failed.
Yes, there was short comings in the team’s crucial games against Korea (lost 3-4) and China (drew 4-4), but at least they were prepared to take the bull by the horns.
The coach Arul Selvaraj and the players are devastated and have to regroup.
It is going to be a challenge for Malaysian Hockey Confederation (MHC) and president Datuk Subahan Kamal, who will now have to look for funds to manage the team and National Sports Council may remove them from the Road to Gold (RTG – Paris Olympics) programme.
The Malaysian hockey team has another chance to qualify for the Paris Olympics in 2024 FIH Hockey Qualifiers in Oman or in Spain.
Six teams will qualify for Paris through these qualifiers with teams form Oceania, Europe and Asia.
The gold medalist at the Hangzhou Asian Games earn and automatic spot in Paris together with host France, champion of upcoming Pan American Games and Africa Hockey Road to Paris tournament.
Questions will also now be asked whether the Road to Gold (RTG) programme is on the right track from its actual goal?
The multi-million project, mooted by the Youth and Sports Ministry, was supposed to provide the nation’s finest athletes with a comprehensive support service in a bid to win Malaysia’s first-ever Olympic gold.
There was already hue and cry when the hockey team was included as part of the elite programme as the Malaysian men’s field hockey side are currently ranked 10th in the world and were not considered as gold medal prospects for the Paris Olympics.
However, the national hockey team was included in the programme in their quest to win the Asian Games gold in Hangzhou, China and qualify for the Olympics outright.
The number of athletes supported under the RTG programme has also grown with the addition of three shuttlers – Ng Tze Yong, Chen Tang Jie and Toh Ee Wei, bringing the total expenditure to RM6.9 million.
Others already in the programme when it was annouced in April, include Azizulhasni Awang and Shah Firdaus Sahrom (track cycling); Lee Zii Jia, Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik, Ong Yew Sin-Teo Ee Yi, Pearly Tan-M. Thinaah, Tan Kian Meng-Lai Pei Jing and Goh Soon Huat-Shevon Lai (badminton); Pandelela Rinong and Nur Dhabitah Sabri (diving).
Certainly there is going to be a review after the Asian Games here.
Having said that, several negative factors noticed among our young athletes and even officials included, questioning the draw and even accusing officials of being biased and corrupt, accusing athletes of using dirty tactics or physiological warfare, asking opposing athletes to retire, being arrogant, making lame excuses for their poor performances and accusing the host of unfair practices.
As an athlete, true sportsmanship is of utmost importance. Yes, confidence in athletes is encouraged, but not arrogance. Humility and respect for fellow athletes are true hallmarks of a great sportsman or woman.
A true champion is one who endures all hardship, challenges and strives to be the best competing against the best and not hoping for easy draws and byes.
Dedication, discipline and determination is all part and parcel of a true sportsman or woman, but character and personality in carrying one self in victory or defeat, is what makes a complete athlete.
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