KUALA LUMPUR – National hockey icons are throwing their support behind the pursuit by the men’s team to clinch the top spot at the ongoing Asian Games in Hangzhou, China.
Before the Games kicked off, the Malaysian Hockey Confederation (MHC) pledged to bring home a medal, aiming to secure an automatic qualification spot for the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Datuk Seri N. Sri Shanmuganathan, a three-time Olympian (1968, 1972, and 1976), shared in an interview with Scoop his optimistic outlook on the Speedy Tigers’ outing.
“I believe that the senior team is on the right track to win the gold medal in the Asian Games.
“They came close in the last edition, and I hope they have learned from their mistakes and devised a better strategy to secure the all-important gold, guaranteeing a direct Olympic berth.”
The 76-year-old legend did not shy away from constructive criticism, urging MHC to actively involve former players in sharing their insights with the current players to enhance their performance ahead of major tournaments.
“In many other countries, local sporting legends are held in high esteem, but regrettably, our situation is quite the opposite. I’m always eager to lend my support, offer advice, and share valuable tips, but the onus lies with the MHC to reach out to us.
“The players could gain a lot from interacting with individuals like myself.”
At the same time, former international midfielder Kevinder Singh echoed similar sentiments, saying the team is in great shape and their mental resilience is admirable.
“I truly believe they can rectify the shortcomings from the last edition and clinch the gold (at the Asian Games), securing that Olympic qualification,” said Kevinder, who amassed 187 caps and netted 32 goals for the Speedy Tigers between 2002 and 2011.
In their opening Pool B match at the Gongshu Canal Sports Park hockey stadium yesterday, Malaysia triumphed over Thailand with a resounding 9-0 victory.
The Speedy Tigers found the net three times in the first half, swiftly followed by six more goals after a brief 10-minute interval.
The nine goals were scored by Azrai Aizad Kamal (eighth, 34th), Firhan Ashaari (21st), Nik Aiman Rozemi (30th, 32nd), Aminuddin Zain (43rd, 45th), Abdul Khaliq Hamirin (57th), and Amirul Hamizan Azahar (60th).
Malaysia will face Oman, ranked 27th in the world, in their second group match tomorrow.
As things stand, the Speedy Tigers are at the 10th spot in the FIH world rankings with 2,041.37 points.
Their best finish in the Asian Games came in the 2018 edition held in Jakarta, where they won a silver medal. – September 25, 2023