After C'wealth Triumph OCM Want Another Best-ever at Asiad

Diving sensations: Leong Mun Yee and Pandelela Rinong showing off the silver medals they won in the 10m synchronised platform diving event upon their arrival at the KL International Airport yesterday. Pandelela also won the gold medal in the 10m platform event at the Commonwealth Games in New Delhi.

NEW DELHI: The Olympic Council of Malaysia (OCM) are pleased and happy with the national athletes’ achievements at the just-concluded New Delhi Commonwealth Games.

Now, they want to see the Malaysian contingent achieve their best-ever gold medal haul at the Guangzhou Asian Games next month.

Malaysia’s best achievement in the Asiad thus far came at the last Games in Doha with an 8-17-17 medal haul.

OCM secretary general Datuk Sieh Kok Chi yesterday challenged the athletes to come good on the bigger stage.

“This is our best ever Common­wealth Games result. We must now rise to the occasion in Guangzhou to achieve our best-ever gold medal tally in the Asian Games as well,” he said.
The 12-10-14 medal haul in New Delhi not only surpassed the 10-gold medal target, it is also the highest number of gold medals won by Malaysia in a Commonwealth Games.

Out of the 14 sports Malaysia competed in, the athletes won medals in 10 sports.

And of the 10 sports that delivered the medals, six sports won gold medals.

“Only athletics, boxing, hockey and rugby 7s failed to deliver any medal,” said Kok Chi.
He pointed out that Malaysia also won gold medals in three sports – cycling, diving and squash – for the first time at the Games.

“As for shooting and rhythmic gymnastics, our athletes won gold medals after a lapse of 12 years – the last time being at the 1998 KL Commonwealth Games,” he said.

“Archery and table tennis won a medal for the first time in the Commonwealth Games as well. This shows that Malaysia has widen its sports base and its athletes are now performing well in more sports.”

He said the good performances in New Delhi would certainly boost the morale and confidence of the Malaysian contingent ahead of next month’s Asian Games.