KUALA LUMPUR – The glitter of gold is not on the radar of Malaysia’s sepak takraw team for the Hanoi SEA Games, as more than 80 per cent of their players are young.
Chief coach Abdul Talib Ahmad said Malaysia were modest about their medal target because they had missed international competitions the past two years and could not assess the strength of their opponents, especially arch-rivals Thailand.
Abdul Talib said the team were confident of winning at least one silver and two bronze medals in the men’s category and one bronze in the women’s competition.
“On paper, Thailand have the edge but as we know, even Vietnam, Indonesia and Myanmar are also strong in certain events.
“For regu and team, Thailand are always the strongest, just like in double and quadrant, Indonesia and the Philippines are also strong as they have beaten Thailand before,” he told a press conference at the National Sports Council in Bukit Jalil here today.
In the games from May 12 to 23, Malaysia’s men will compete in team regu, regu and double while their women counterparts will contest in team regu, regu and quadrant.
Abdul Talib said the targeted silver is expected to come from the regu event, to defend one of the two silvers won in the 2019 edition in the Philippines.
On the team’s preparation, Abdul Talib said the men’s and women’s squads were undergoing intensive training in Janda Baik, Pahang and Marang, Terengganu respectively.
During the current fasting month, the team train from 10 pm to 3 am, with light workouts in the afternoon.
The Vietnam-bound team comprise seven players under 21 years old, three aged between 23 and 25 and two seniors, including captain Muhammad Afifuddin Mohd Razali.
Malaysia’s sepak takraw squad last won gold in the 2017 Games in Kuala Lumpur when they triumphed in men’s regu and chinlone linking.
