Thailand, Indonesia do better in Olympic sports than Malaysia at Asiad

By the Editorial Team · Tuesday, October 6, 2026

Malaysia finished the Asian Games in Japan with nine gold medals, surpassing their target and matching their best gold medal count since 2010, though only three golds came from Olympic events. This highlights the need for Malaysia to diversify and strengthen its presence in a broader range of Olympic sports ahead of the 2027 SEA Games and the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

The Malaysian contingent concluded their Asian Games campaign in Japan with a total of nine gold, seven silver, and sixteen bronze medals, surpassing their initial target of six golds. This achievement matched the nation’s best gold medal haul at the Asian Games, first set in 2010 at Guangzhou. However, concerns remain about how these performances translate into prospects for the upcoming 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

Of the nine gold medals Malaysia secured, only three were earned in Olympic disciplines. Squash players Ng Eain Yow and S. Sivasangari earned Malaysia’s first Olympic quota spots by winning men’s and women’s singles events, respectively. Veteran track cyclist Azizulhasni Awang capped his final Asian Games appearance by capturing the men’s keirin title.

By comparison, neighboring Thailand demonstrated stronger results in Olympic sports, with seven of their 18 gold medals coming from Olympic events. Thai athletes secured three golds in athletics and saw Kunlavut Vidsarn win the men’s singles badminton title—a discipline where Malaysia, despite a longer history, secured only a bronze through the women’s doubles duo Pearly Tan and M. Thinaah. Thailand’s success in other Olympic events included beach volleyball, boxing, equestrian, taekwondo, and sailing.

Indonesia also showed proficiency in Olympic disciplines, with all five of their gold medals coming in Olympic sports such as badminton (two golds), weightlifting, sport climbing, and archery. The Philippines earned four gold medals, three of which were in gymnastics and one in athletics—all Olympic events.

National Sports Council (NSC) director general Jefri Ngadirin acknowledged the need for Malaysia to broaden its sporting competencies to remain competitive across regional and international competitions, including the SEA Games, Asian Games, and the Olympics. He highlighted that Malaysia participated in 30 of the 43 Asian Games sports, entering 153 of 469 events, indicating potential for expansion into additional disciplines.

Ngadirin emphasized the importance of building on the current performance to aim for overall championship success at the upcoming Kuala Lumpur SEA Games in 2027 and preparing for the Los Angeles Olympics. He noted that while Malaysia’s squash players are currently dominant in Asia, they face stiff competition on the world stage, particularly from Egyptian athletes.

Furthermore, the NSC is encouraging sports associations to engage with the council to explore support for emerging disciplines such as surfing, sport climbing, and padel, aiming to cultivate new areas of strength for future multi-sport events.

This article was reported by synthesizing coverage from multiple independent news outlets to present a balanced, unbiased account. Read about our editorial standards. Spotted an error? Let us know.