The Olympics is among the top sporting events in the world. It has enabled thousands of talented athletes to showcase their skills in different winter and summer sports. Malaysia, a country located in Southeast Asia, has participated in all the Summer Olympics Games ever held, apart from the 1980 Summer Olympics, which took place in Moscow due to a boycott that was led by the United States. The year 2018 was the first time Malaysia, sent athletes to compete in the Winter Olympics Games.
All this time, Malaysia has managed to put one point across: she is a strong competitor in the Olympics, and she’s working her way to the top. Athletes from the country have proved that they are determined to win. Although they have not won a gold medal yet, they have taken 11 Olympic medals home. Seven of them have been bronze while four have been silver. Malaysia has been dominating in several sports in the Olympics, including the following.
Badminton
Badminton is a popular sport in Malaysia. The first Malaysian badminton players to win in the Olympics were Ng Boon Bee and Punch Gunalan, although they lost in their final match. Years back, in 1972, no medals were awarded to badminton champions since the sport was perceived as a demonstration game. This, fortunately, did not last forever. The 1992 saw the country receive its first badminton bronze medals, won by former players and brothers, Razif Sidek and Jalani Sidek.
Lee Chong Wei, who is also a former badminton player, has won three silver medals in the Olympics, making him the most triumphant Olympian in the country so far. Other badminton champions include Goh Liu Ying and Chan Peng Soon, who won silver medals in the 2016 Summer Olympics.
Diving
Pandelela Rinong participated in the 2012 Summer Olympics and won a bronze medal, becoming the first Malaysian diver to win in the Women’s 10-metre platform competition. During the 2016 Summer Olympics, she took home a silver medal. Cheong Jun Hoong, a fellow Malaysian diver, also won a silver medal at the time.
Cycling is the only other sport that Malaysia has participated in during the Olympics. In the 2016 Summer Olympics, Azizulhasni Awang won a bronze medal. The country has been making all efforts to ensure that athletes prepare adequately for international sports events, such as the Olympics.
Training for the 2020 Summer Olympics
The Malaysian government has made arrangements for athletes to prepare to compete at the anticipated 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympics, which was postponed to 2021 (23 July – 8 August), due to the coronavirus pandemic. Ismail Sabri Yaakob, the Malaysian Minister of Defence, revealed early in 2020 that 265 people, including 57 athletes, were granted permission to attend training sessions held at three training camps in the country. Even so, each of them would have to undergo a COVID-19 test whenever they wanted to leave the fields.
The Olympic Council of Malaysia is optimistic that with the removal of restrictions for athletes, they will have ample time to prepare. Hopefully, they will do well at the Tokyo Olympics.