Sailing into a ‘gold mine’
may send only 10 sailors to the Asian Games in Jakarta but the sport is seen as a “gold mine”.
However, the Malaysia Sailing Association (MSA) are not aiming too high.
They just hope to match the result of the 2014 Incheon Asian Games, which is one gold from Muhammad Fauzi Kaman in the laser 4.7 open category).
But the national squad can certainly do better.
Malaysia have the ability to bag at least two gold — through experienced sailors Khairulnizam Mohd Afendy (laser standard), Nurshazrin Mohd Latif (women’s Laser Radial) and duo Noraishah Jamil-Norashikin Mohamed Sayed (women’s International 470).
But their chances of winning gold will depend on several factors on race day, including weather conditions, wind speed, height of the waves, physical and mental health of the athletes.
The 10 sailors are up against strong contenders from Singapore and India in the Laser 4.7 category while South Korea, Japan and China loom large in the Laser Standard and Radial event.
China and Japan are also Malaysia’s main rivals in the men’s and women’s International 470 events.
In 2014, the national sailing team won one gold medal in the men’s international 420 class through the partnership of Faisal and Syukri. However, the 420 class event and the optimist have not been listed by the hosts for this year’s Asiad.
MSA chief executive officer Mazlan Othman stressed that their target has to be a realistic one.
“Actually the main contributors of gold medals for Malaysia came from the International 420 and Optimist but it’s a shame both events were dropped by the Indonesian Asian Games Organising Committee.
“Because of that, MSA do not want to set an unrealistic target. If we win more than one gold medal at the 2018 Asian Games, it is considered a bonus and a huge success,” he said. Haika Khazi