Golden dreams must begin at the universities

THE Olympic Games is supposed to be the toughest competition in the world. Not for the American swimmers or track and field athletes.

For them, it’s the Olympic trials that is most nerve-wracking.

To earn an individual berth to the Games, a swimmer must finish first or second in his or her event. Everything else is the equivalent to a last-place finish.

And every year, there are plenty of feel-good stories – and painful tales too.

No sport boasts an Olympic-selection process as difficult or potentially painful as the one used in swimming or athletics in the US.

In track and field, countries can send three athletes per event. In swimming, it’s only two.

That one extra spot over swimming is huge, especially given the strength of United States in the pool.

And there is no no room for argument. No one can say: “But I set a world record last month. I am the reigning world champion.”

It doesn’t matter. All that counts is winning in the trials.

Take reigning Olympic women’s 800m champion Athing Mu. She will not get a chance to defend her 800m title in Paris after falling in the middle of her race during the US Olympic trials two weeks ago.

Her team submitted an appeal but to no avail. She had won women’s 800m event at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and claimed the world championship title in 2022 and her absence will be felt.

Or maybe, it will not.

The colleges and universities in US are breeding grounds for world-class athletes, and another runner could likely step up to replace Mu.

It’s the American sporting culture. Singapore swimmer Joseph Schooling knows all about it.

He improved by leaps and bounds when he was based at the University of Texas and even went on to stun the legendary Michael Phelps to claim Singapore’s first Olympic gold medal.

Our own Alex Lim Keng Liat – Malaysia’s only Asian Games swimming gold medallist – was sent on attachment with Bolles School in California under the National Sports Council scholarship and the competitive culture there shaped him into the best swimmer Malaysia has ever produced.

He even reached the semi-finals of the 100m backstroke at the 2004 Olympics in Athens.

In track and field, we have our own sprint hope Mohd Azeem Fahmi now.

He has just been confirmed to go for his debut Olympic outing in Paris under the universality ticket – also known as wild card.

Azeem, only 20 and now studying in Auburn University, will get a chance to step up on his performance and hopefully qualify on merit for the next Olympics in Los Angeles in 2028.

It is important that Azeem spreads his wings outside the country and embrace the American sports culture. Otherwise, he never get to realise his full potential.

Universities in Malaysia cannot hold a candle to their American counterparts.

It could be due to a lack of sporting culture, an emphasis on academic qualifications, or just inefficient use of resources.

It is no surprise then we still do not have an Olympic champion.

They have to be groomed from their university days — and taught to really compete.