Malaysia has set a target of securing six gold, seven silver, and 20 bronze medals at the upcoming Asian Games, which will be held in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, from September 19. The announcement was made by chief of mission Datuk Sumali Reduan during the flag-handing ceremony for the Malaysian contingent, officiated by Youth and Sports Minister Dr Mohd Taufiq Johari at Bukit Jalil.

Sumali described the medal goal as achievable, considering recent performances by Malaysian athletes and the level of competition expected at the Games. The target closely mirrors Malaysia’s medal tally from the previous Asian Games in Hangzhou, where the nation earned six gold, eight silver, and 18 bronze medals.

“The target was agreed on after taking into consideration various factors, including our own form as well as that of the opposition,” Sumali said. “We believe it is a realistic target. We all know that the Asian Games is a very tough competition. This is not the SEA Games. Of course, we hope that we can score bonus gold medals. We have targeted seven silver medals and there is always the possibility that those silver medals could turn into gold.”

The Malaysian contingent will consist of 352 athletes participating across 30 sports, with 13 disciplines identified as strong medal prospects. These sports include squash, badminton, archery, diving, sepak takraw, hockey, athletics, sailing, karate, wushu, e-sports, shooting, and track cycling.

Among the athletes, 15 are part of the Road to Gold (RTG) programme, 158 are under the Podium Programme, and 14 are national backup athletes. Notably, 110 athletes in the team are aged under 21, indicating a focus on developing young talent.

At the same press event, National Sports Council director-general Jefri Ngadirin confirmed that track cyclist Datuk Azizulhasni Awang would compete in the Games after his participation had previously been uncertain. Azizulhasni, a four-time Asian Games participant, is preparing with the national team during a final training camp in Brisbane. He is a two-time Asian Games gold medalist and was unable to compete in the last edition in Hangzhou due to an injury sustained shortly before the Games.

Malaysia’s preparations reflect a cautious but optimistic approach ahead of the highly competitive Asian Games, aiming to maintain or improve upon its recent achievements in the regional multi-sport event.