KUALA LUMPUR – Olympic Council of Malaysia (OCM) president Tan Sri Mohamad Norza Zakaria has urged national sports associations (NSAs) to set clear performance benchmarks for their athletes.
He said athletes should aim to be ranked in the world’s top eight or top four to strengthen their chances of qualifying for the Road to Gold (RTG) programme ahead of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
Norza’s remarks follow the announcement by the RTG committee of 16 athletes selected for this year’s programme. All met the current criteria—being ranked in the world’s top 10 in their respective events or having previously won an Olympic medal.
To remain in the RTG programme next year, athletes must maintain a top-eight world ranking, finish in the top eight at the World Championships, or win a medal at the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow or the Asian Games in Nagoya.
For the 2027–2028 period, they must be ranked within the world’s top four, place in the top four at the World Championships, or qualify on merit for the 2028 Los Angeles Games.
Athlete performances will be reviewed every six months this year, although the frequency may increase as LA2028 approaches.
Norza, who is also the deputy chairperson of the RTG committee, said the updated criteria will push athletes to work harder to be part of the programme.
A total of RM10 million has been allocated to the RTG this year. The initiative aims to provide elite athletes with the additional support they need to contend for gold at LA2028 and other major international tournaments.
“I’m really pleased with the minister’s (Hannah Yeoh) proactive efforts in preparing our national athletes early for LA2028,” he said.
“Following the post-mortem after the Paris Olympics, we assessed the continuity of the programme. From OCM’s perspective—especially as the custodian of the NSAs—we commend the government’s initiatives.
“Now, it’s time for the relevant NSAs, particularly those with athletes on the RTG list, to play their part in ensuring their athletes reach the top eight or top four in the world.
“To be honest, we want to support as many athletes as possible. RTG is a great platform, and being part of the programme will only further motivate them to improve.
“We always look at the roadmap—how far each athlete must go to reach their peak and win a gold medal for Malaysia. It has to be about medal contention. Some NSAs have said, ‘Give us the opportunity, and we’ll ensure our athletes reach the top three or top four in the world rankings.’
“That, to me, shows the positive impact of RTG—it’s already inspiring NSAs to raise the bar. We want to see more of that,” Norza said at a press conference at Menara KBS earlier today.
It is no surprise that of the 16 athletes selected for RTG, 13 are from badminton. This includes professional players such as men’s singles star Lee Zii Jia, who had previously turned down an offer to join the programme during the Paris 2024 cycle.
The remaining three athletes are track cyclists Shah Firdaus Sahrom and Izzah Izzati Asri, and weightlifter Aniq Kasdan.
Whether all of them will accept their places in the programme remains to be seen, as they have until next month to decide.
Meanwhile, the omission of veteran track cyclist Datuk Azizulhasni Awang—now semi-retired—and divers Datuk Pandelela Rinong and Nur Dhabitah Sabri, both of whom were not in peak form last year, was expected.
However, Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh has said the government is exploring ways to support Azizulhasni in the run-up to LA2028, potentially through a tailored programme if he decides to continue competing.
Additionally, five athletes have been accepted into the RTG Fast Track initiative, which targets younger talents under the age of 25 who are ranked in the world’s top 20 or who won gold at the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games. — April 15, 2025