YOUTH and Sports Minister, YB Brig Gen Khairy Jamaluddin has advised athletes to focus on their respective events and not put undue pressure on themselves despite the 111-gold medal target set for Malaysian athletes at the KL2017 Games.
“We must start thinking about our performance and focus on it and the medals will come,” said YB Brig Gen Khairy after inspecting final preparations for cricket competition at the Kinrara Oval in Bandar Kinrara.
“We cannot make our comparison based on our 2001 achievement… now the athletes and events contested are different. Our target is based after evaluating the present scenario. It can go either way.”
“I have set the target based on what’s happening today and not 16 years ago. Remember in 2001 we targeted 80 gold medals and eventually picked 111.
“What is most important is that the target is realistic. For example, in 2001 we did not have cricket, ice hockey and figure skating. The sports are different,” he he added.
“What is most important is that we emerge as overall champion. If we push the athletes to focus on winning the medals too much, they would not be able to concentrate on their game,” he said.
