NSAs must identify athletes with medal prospects for 2020 Tokyo Olympics

KUALA LUMPUR: National sports associations (NSAs) must immediately identify their potential athletes who have medal prospects to make early preparations for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics Games.

Olympic Council of Malaysia (OCM) President Tan Sri Tunku Imran Tuanku Ja'afar (pix) also reminded NSAs to work closely with the National Sports Council and the National Sports Institute to ensure the athletes they selected would prove their worth in Tokyo.

"Our NSAs should know right now who are their athletes for the Tokyo Olympics since the four-year period (from now) is not long.

"In Rio, we collected five medals and we did not rely on certain sports to give contributions to our medal haul and therefore, we hope more sports will contribute for our contingent in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics," he said.

Tunku Imran was speaking to reporters after chairing the 179th OCM executive council meeting at Wisma OCM, here, today.

Malaysia claimed four silver medals and a bronze in the recently concluded Rio Olympics in which three silver came from badminton – Datuk Lee Chong Wei (men's singles), Goh V Shem/Tan Wee Kiong (men's doubles) and Chan Peng Soon/Goh Liu Ying in the mixed doubles.

National diving duo, Pandelela Rinong and Cheong Jun Hoong won another silver in the women's 10m platform synchronised event while Melbourne-based cyclist, Azizul Hasni Awang delivered bronze in the men's keirin event. — Bernama