KUALA LUMPUR, July 24 — The Olympic Council of Malaysia (OCM) respects the decision of the Malaysian Weightlifting Federation (PABM) regarding the withdrawal of its athletes from the Hangzhou 2022 Asian Games in order to fully focus on qualifying for the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.
OCM president Tan Sri Mohamad Norza Zakaria said the shortage of athletes who can contribute medals will be felt at the Asian Games, but he sees the importance of chasing qualifying points for the Olympic Games as a priority.
“I have to respect what the sports associations plan for their athletes. We also know that the Olympic Games is more important so they (athletes) need points to qualify to compete there later.
“It is true that we will feel shortchanged there (Asian Games), but the desire to compete at the Olympic Games is more important,” he told reporters after officiating the Billie Jean King Cup Tennis Tournament at the Tun Razak National Tennis Centre, earlier today.
Mohamad Norza was commenting on the decision of two national weightlifting champions, Mohamad Aznil Bidin and Muhammad Aniq Kasdan, who were forced to forget their desire to compete in the Hangzhou Asian Games scheduled from September 23 to October 8, following the dates of the Games clashing with the World Weightlifting Championships in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia from September 2 to September 17.
The World Weightlifting Championships offer qualification points for the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Muhammad Aniq and Mohamad Aznil are now competing against each other in the 61kg category, to hunt for a ticket to the Paris Olympics.
It follows the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) determining that only one national representative will be eligible to compete in the category.
Meanwhile, Mohamad Norza said he hopes more sports associations will organise international-level tournaments, such as the Billie Jean King Cup, in the country as an effort to further empower their respective sports.
The tennis tournament lasts for six days starting today.
Apart from Malaysia, the other countries participating in the tournament are New Zealand, Pakistan, Hong Kong, China, Mongolia, Indonesia, Singapore, Turkmenistan, Guam, Taiwan, and Sri Lanka.
— Bernama
