NSC assures additional funding for gold medal-winning sports

NAGOYA: The National Sports Council (NSC) has assured continued full support, including consideration for additional funding, for sports associations that delivered gold medals at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games.

NSC director-general Jefri Ngadirin said the success of these associations in producing gold medallists underlined their potential to continue contributing to the national contingent at future multi-sport Games.

He said the NSC would continue backing the associations to ensure their momentum is maintained, especially ahead of next year's SEA Games, which Malaysia will host.

"At NSC level, we will continue to provide support and additional funding to sports that have successfully contributed gold medals to the national contingent," he said on Friday.

"Do not worry, the sports associations that have already delivered success will continue to receive our full support."

Commenting on Malaysia's performance in Aichi-Nagoya, Jefri said the results were an encouraging sign ahead of the country's mission to emerge overall champions at next year's SEA Games.

"Certainly. Our target at next year's SEA Games is to become overall champions and these sports have already shown that they are capable of contributing to the national contingent," he said.

Malaysia had won nine gold medals, equalling the country's best-ever haul achieved at the 2010 Guangzhou Asian Games.

The nine golds came from karate, esports, track cycling, squash and sepak takraw.

Squash was the biggest contributor with four gold medals through Ng Eain Yow in the men's singles, S Sivasangari in the women's singles, and the men's and women's team events.

In karate, Adeola Fay Robert won the women's 55kg individual kumite title, while C Shamalarani emerged champion in the women's under-50kg kumite.

E-racing athlete Taj Izrin Aiman Taj Madira struck gold in Gran Turismo 7, while national track cycling ace Datuk Azizulhasni Awang won the men's keirin.

The national men's team regu squad contributed another gold in sepak takraw.

Jefri, however, said the challenge at the 2030 Asian Games in Doha, Qatar, remained difficult to gauge as the list of sports to be contested has yet to be confirmed.

He said maintaining performance levels and identifying potential medal-winning sports would therefore remain a priority ahead of the quadrennial Games.

"We hope the sports that contributed gold medals this time will continue to deliver gold for the national contingent at future Games," he said.