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.
JANGAN TERTEKAN DENGAN SASARAN – YB BRIG JEN KHAIRY
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MENTERI Belia dan Sukan YB Brig Jen Khairy Jamaluddin menasihatkan atlet agar tidak terlalu tertekan dengan jumlah sasaran 111 pingat emas kontinjen negara pada Sukan SEA Kuala Lumpur 2017 yang diumumkan sebelum ini.
“Saya nasihatkan atlet beri tumpuan terhadap prestasi mereka dulu, pingat akan datang kemudian,”kata YB Brig Jen Khairy selepas lawatan ke venue kriket di Kinrara Oval.
“Jangan bandingkan pencapaian pingat emas pada 2001 dulu dan sekarang kerana ada berbeza atlet dan acara. Sasaran kita berasaskan penilaian semasa. Jadi apa saja boleh berlaku,” kata beliau.
“Sebagai Menteri Sukan, saya letakkan sasaran berdasarkan apa scenario hari ini. Ingat, pada 2001 kita sasar 80 emas tetapi akhirnya menang dengan 111 emas untuk muncul juara keseluruhan,” kata beliau lagi.
“Apa yang penting ialah sasaran kita mesti realistik. Contohnya, pada 2001 tiada kriket, hoki ais atau luncur ais. Jadi senario sekarang berbeza berbanding 2001 dulu,” tambah beliau.
Menurut YB Brig Jen Khairy, apa yang penting ialah memastikan Malaysia akirnya muncul juara keseluruhan Sukan SEA ke-29 pada 30 Ogos nanti. “Jika kita terlalu menekan atlet untuk menang dan menang, sukar bagi mereka untuk fokus pada prestasi masing-masing.”
