No Specific Medal Target For 2017 Asian Winter Games, Youth Commonwealth Games

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 14 (Bernama) -- The Olympic Council of Malaysia (OCM) has not set any specific medal target for the Malaysian contingent that will compete in the 2017 Sapporo Asian Winter Games and Youth Commonwealth Games in Bahamas. The 2017 Sapporo Asian Winter Games will be held in Japan from February 19-26 while the 2017 Youth Commonwealth Games will take place in Bahamas from July 19-23. OCM President Tunku Imran Tuanku Ja'afar said the body opined that the standard of national athletes was still lagging far behind compared to South Korea and Japan who have vast experience after having participated in the Winter Olympic Games. "These two countries will certainly be sending their strongest contingent and we feel it is better for us to focus on improving their personal achievement as the benchmark for the 2017 Kuala Lumpur SEA Games whereby a few sports in the Winter Games, will also be included in the SEA Games. "It is also to go the same way in the Youth Commonwealth Games whereby the Caribbean countries are very good in a few sports such as athletics but hopefully our athletes will do the country proud," Tunku Imran told reporters after attending a Selection Committee Meeting for both games at Wisma OCM, here Wednesday. He said Malaysia will be sending 36 athletes and 19 officials in four disciplines at the Winter Asian Games namely -- ice hockey, figure skating, short track speed skating and also alpine skiing. He added that the national contingent comprising 14 athletes and seven officials will take part in three events at the 2017 Youth Commonwealth Games -- swimming, athletics and cycling. "We rejected the proposal from boxing to be included for the Youth Commonwealth Games as we feel our boxers are not good enough to compete against boxers from the Commonwealth countries," Tunku Imran added. The 2017 Sapporo Winter Asian Games will feature five events involving 11 disciplines -- alpine skiing, cross-country skiing, ski jumping, freestyle skiing, speed skating, short track speed skating, snowboard, figure skating, biathlon, ice hockey and Curling. Six sports will be contested at the 2017 Youth Commonwealth Games namely -- athletics, boxing, road cycling, judo, rugby 7s (men and women) and swimming. -- BERNAMA