Malaysia targets five gold medals at Glasgow 2026 with 59 athletes, shifting focus from absent traditional powerhouses like badminton and diving.
GLASGOW: Malaysia will enter the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games with a five-gold target but without several of the sports that have traditionally underpinned its medal success.
A total of 59 national athletes, including 22 para athletes, will compete in eight of the 10 sports hosted at the Games from July 23 until Aug 2, with the contingent being set an overall target of five gold, two silver and four bronze medals.
Chef de mission Datuk Awalan Abdul Aziz will lead the contingent in what is expected to be one of Malaysia’s most challenging Commonwealth Games campaigns.
Malaysia will be represented in 3×3 basketball, artistic gymnastics, athletics, lawn bowls, judo, swimming, track cycling and weightlifting, as well as six integrated para sports – 3×3 wheelchair basketball, para athletics, para bowls, para swimming, para track cycling and para powerlifting.
Malaysia won seven gold, eight silver and eight bronze medals at the Birmingham 2022 edition to finish 10th in the overall medal standings.
That performance, however, was supported by a wider programme that included several events regarded as traditional medal sources for the country.
Badminton, diving and squash are among the sports absent from the reduced Glasgow 2026 programme, significantly changing the composition of Malaysia’s medal challenge.
Their omission means the contingent can no longer rely on the same formula that helped produce seven gold medals in Birmingham four years ago.
Weightlifting, para powerlifting, track cycling, lawn bowls, para athletics and judo are expected to form the backbone of the national challenge.
Officials have not publicly identified the athletes or events expected to contribute the five gold medals as the approach allows the target to remain a collective responsibility without placing excessive pressure on individual athletes before competition begins.
However, expectations will inevitably fall on several established champions and experienced performers with proven records on the international stage.
Among the leading names are para powerlifting champion Bonnie Bunyau Gustin, para long jumper Datuk Abdul Latif Romly, track cycling ace Datuk Mohd Azizulhasni Awang and lawn bowler Emma Firyana Saroji.
Abdul Latif will also carry the Jalur Gemilang at the opening ceremony on Thursday night (early morning Friday Malaysian time) before turning his attention to the men’s T20 long jump.
Local sports analyst Datuk Dr Pekan Ramli believes Malaysia still possess sufficient depth and quality to mount a strong five-gold challenge.
“For me, the five-gold target is realistic and safe based on the athletes’ current form, the strength of the selected sports and the level of competition expected in Glasgow,” he told Bernama when contacted today.
Pekan said the absence of badminton and diving should not overshadow the opportunities available in other sports, particularly weightlifting, para powerlifting, para athletics and lawn bowls.
He said weightlifting as one of Malaysia’s strongest prospects after Mohamad Aniq Kasdan and Muhamad Aznil Bidin delivered two gold medals at Birmingham 2022.
“With both lifters returning alongside Muhammad Erry Hidayat, the weightlifting squad has strong confidence in contributing medals,” he said.
Pekan also identified para powerlifting through Bonnie Bunyau Gustin, para athletics through Datuk Abdul Latif Romly and lawn bowls as key gold medal sources.
On track cycling, he said Datuk Mohd Azizulhasni Awang and Shah Firdaus Sahrom who won bronze in the men’s keirin at Birmingham 2022, would face strong opposition from Australia, England and Trinidad and Tobago but remained capable of producing a breakthrough result and adding to Malaysia’s overall tally.
For Malaysia, reaching the target will depend on its established champions delivering as expected while several other athletes produce breakthrough performances under pressure.
The new medal equation demands efficiency, consistency and the ability to capitalise on every realistic opportunity across the 11-day competition. The formula may have changed, but the objective remains clear – Malaysia must find five gold medals from a streamlined Commonwealth Games schedule.
