Malaysia once again failed to get to the top step of the podium in Paris this year, extending the country’s wait for its maiden Olympic gold medal to 68 years, having first contested in the 1956 edition of the multisport tournament in Melbourne.
This year, the country’s two bronze medals were both won on the badminton court.
Hailing his charges for their gutsy displays in Paris, Rexy said it was unfair to pin all the country’s medal hopes on the national badminton team, especially given the high-pressured Olympics environment.
“In future, let’s not expect medals only from badminton,” he said at a press conference at the Badminton Academy of Malaysia (ABM) in Bukit Kiara here.
He said such expectations only serve to heighten the pressure all around.
“Why not also focus on other sports that can win the country medals, such as athletics, swimming, gymnastics and diving?
“Provide them with funds. For example, the country should send athletes to train in the US for four years and provide them with funding.”
Rexy said Malaysia could learn from the Philippines, which won two gold medals in gymnastics in Paris through Carlos Yulo.
“The Philippines has never contested in gymnastics, but now, suddenly, they’ve won gold medals,” he said.
Malaysia’s contingent of 26 athletes competed in 11 sports in Paris.
Men’s doubles badminton pair Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik retained the bronze medal they won in Tokyo 2020, with Lee Zii Jia delivering the other in the men’s singles.
Women’s doubles pair Pearly Tan-M Thinaah were defeated by Japan’s Nami Matsuyama-Chiharu Shida in the bronze medal playoff. However, they created history by becoming the first Malaysian women’s doubles pair to advance to an Olympic semi-final.
Weightlifter Aniq Kasdan narrowly missed out in the men’s 61kg category, falling just 1kg short of the bronze medal winner.
Cyclist Shah Firdaus Sahrom was poised to finish third in the men’s keirin before tumbling to the velodrome floor in a collision with two other riders on the last day of competition.