Over 700 Malaysian Athletes In Training For Sporting Excellence

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 21 (Bernama) -- A total of 755 atletes are involved in training programmes for the 29th SEA Games and 9th ASEAN Para Games in Kuala Lumpur next year as well as the Podium Programme (Elite Athletes) as Malaysia eyes its first ever Olympic gold. The training programmes also involve 105 coaches as well as participation in 140 local and 478 international competitions, according to the Economic Report 2016/17 released by the Finance Ministry. Besides targeting the country's maiden gold medal in the Tokyo Olympics 2020, the Podium Programme also aims to restore the top 10 standing at the 2018 Asian Games in Palembang-Jakarta and 2018 Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, and achieve 10 top six world ranking athletes. As of end-August 2026, US$13.31 million (RM55.7 million) of the US$37.13 million (RM155.4 million) allocated for the programes had been expended. The Podium Programme is one of eight initiatives under the High Performance Framework with the overall objective of achieving sporting excellence for the country. Malaysia gained four silver medals at the Rio Olympics recently - in badminton through Lee Chong Wei (men's singles); Chan Peng Soon-Goh Liu Ying (mixed doubles); Goh V Shem-Tan Wee Kiong (men's doubles); diving with Pandelela Rinong Pamg-Cheong Jun Hoong; and a bronze medal courtesy of Azizulhasni Awang (cycling). The country's Paralympic contingent made the country proud after clinching three gold medals in athletics courtesy of Mohamad Ridzuan Mohamad Puzi (100m T36), Muhammad Ziyad Zolkefli (shot-put F20), Abdul Latif Romly (long jump T20), and a bronze from Siti Noor Radiah Ismail (women's long jump T20). On another matter, the report said as of end-August the government expended US$27.43 million (RM114.8 million) for various technical and vocational training programmes in National Youth Skills Training Institutes (IKBN) and National Youth Advance Skills Training Institutes (IKTBN). Meanwhile, US$501,934 (RM2.1 million) was channelled to 73 non-governmental organisations (NGOs) through community development programmes under the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry. The programmes are divided into eight priority areas, namely family, parenting, fatherhood, pre-wedding, strengthening marriage, teens programme, reproductive health, and HIV/AIDS prevention. -- BERNAMA