Saving grace: Men’s doubles pair Aaron Chia (front) and Soh Wooi Yik won bronze in the individual event.
AFTER 15 days of competition, Team Malaysia came away from the Hangzhou Asian Games with a total of six gold, eight silver and 18 bronze medals.
It is not much different from the last two Games in Incheon in 2014 (5-14-14 for a total of 33) and Jakarta-Palembang in 2018 (7-13-16 for a total of 36).
However, a breakdown gives a different picture. In Indonesia, we had 450 athletes while in Incheon there were 277. In Hangzhou, there were 289 Malaysian athletes.
Making great strides: Shereen Samson Vallabouy won the bronze in 400m and 4x100m relay.
The selection rules were tighter this time with the Olympic Council of Malaysia allowing fewer than 300 athletes.
For the first time, Malaysia enjoyed the distinction of having the highest gold medal to contingent ratio compared to the other South-East Asian countries. Malaysia sits on top with 2:07 per cent.
There were also notable quality medal achievements, particularly in athletics, artistic gymnastics, equestrian and karate.
Mohd Azeem Fahmi, only 19, made a big statement clocking 10.11s to clinch bronze in his debut Asiad in Hangzhou. Azeem will surely be a contender at the next Asiad in Nagoya in three years time.
Azeem, who holds the national record of 10.09, has returned to the United States to continue his studies and training under coach Ken Harnden at Auburn State University.
Shereen Samson Vallabouy has also established herself as the new face of Malaysian women’s athletics after winning two medals – 400m bronze and 4x100m relay bronze – at Hangzhou.
She will be 28 in Nagoya and at the peak of her career.
Then, there is artistic gymnast Mohd Sharul Aimy, who bagged a surprise bronze in his Asiad debut. He could follow in the footsteps of his coach Ng Shu Wai, who took silver back in Doha in 2006.
There is also equestrian rider Qabil Ambak, whose perseverance paid off in the sport after 25 years of trying.
Qabil put everything on the line and even decided to forgo his Olympic dream to ensure his trusted old horse Rosenstolz was in prime condition for the Asian Games individual dressage challenge.
He was rewarded with a gold, after settling for four silvers and three bronzes in five previous outings.
There are a few young athletes who showed promise in Hangzhou, like divers Bertrand Rhodict and Enrique Mccartney Harold, who are only 18 and 20 respectively; and also karate exponent Mohd Arif Afifuddin Malik, who at 23 managed to snatch gold in the men’s below 84kg category.
The important thing is to nurture them, and keep them motivated and hungry for better results in the next three years.
The best way is not to hold back on funding so these promising athletes can benefit from more competition exposures.
There were disappointments. The field athletes flopped and the shooters were nowhere near Asian standards.
We are still behind Thailand when it comes to sepak takraw while hockey was a big letdown.
The Speedy Tigers had aimed for gold as the easiest route to the Paris Olympics but instead returned home with a sixth-place finish.
The Asian Games showed again the gulf between Malaysian badminton and that of China, South Korea and India.
However, Malaysia at least fared better than neighbours Indonesia with former men’s doubles world champions Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik managing a bronze medal. The shuttlers had been targeted for two silvers and a bronze.
Former singles great Datuk Lee Chong Wei sympathised with the players.
“There are a lot of expectations on badminton in every multi-sport Games but it is very much open in the men’s competition especially.
“I know we missed the target but I hope everyone back home will not lose faith in our athletes. I believe the players can learn from their losses and become stronger.
“I went to four Olympics and what I can do is share my experience with the players off the court,” said Chong Wei, who was in Hangzhou as a member of the Road to Gold (RTG) committee.
