Zakaria: Two-gold target realistic for Asiad

07/11/1998

MOST of the athletes for the Asian Games in Bangkok checked into the
National Sports Council (NSC) hostel in Bukit Jalil for a three-day
orientation course yesterday on a sombre note.
Although only a handful openly admitted it, the feeling that medals will
be hard to win in Bangkok hung over them.
Chef-de-mission Dr Zakaria Ahmad confirmed it with his two-gold target.
"We will have to be happy with just two golds from Bangkok because the
standard is very much higher than the Commonwealth Games where Malaysia
won 10 golds," said Zakaria.
"The athletes and the public need to be told this early so that they
will not expect too much at Asian Games level."
Zakaria came up with the target after meeting team managers of the 18
sports that will feature in Bangkok but his target is two golds off the
Olympic Council of Malaysia's and the Sports Minister's count.
The 130-strong Malaysian contingent will find it tough against athletes
from China, South Korea and Japan.
Their likely chance of upset medals are from squash, bowling and
badminton.
G. Shanti was one of the athletes who checked in yesterday and when she
was approached, her comment was: "I have nothing to say about the Asian
Games."
Zakaria said the athletes will gather again on Nov 22 for centralised
training but they will still be allowed to undergo their training
programmes.
"In a sense, this will be a very `loose' centralised training," said
Zakaria.
(END)