Minister of Youth and Sports Hannah Yeoh has her eyes set on Malaysia achieving its first ever Olympic Goal in Paris 2024. Hannah who was appointed less than a month ago as minister has hit the ground running with big aspirations for Malaysia’s hardworking and talented athletes.
“In my meeting with our athletes, I see a fire in them, a determination, regardless of the sport. Malaysia has a spark of flame in her that needs to be stoked. Our nation yearns for a golden age, again. For us to achieve this, that Malaysia can rise onto the world stage and hold our own. ‘Malaysia Boleh.’” wrote Hannah in a post on her social media account.
Hannah believes that achieving world class excellence in sports reflects a country’s capability and competence.
“When an athlete or a team wins on the biggest stage, while the glory of the moment is showered upon the winner, the achievement signifies a lot of right things taking place in the country that has enabled that success. Athletes, coaches, managers, sports associations, therapists, policies and legislations, corporates, families, schools, community, and media working in unison and producing a world class athlete and/or team. The nation is working.”
In other words, Hannah believes that all of us play a great role in helping our athletes reach greater heights in the world of sports – right down to the moral and emotional support given by the rakyat.
As we take this journey together, Hannah wants to remind Malaysians that the focus isn’t on bringing home medals but instead bringing hope back to the country and imprinting a spirit of excellence that will raise the bar for young Malaysians and will remain with them for a lifetime.
“As we enter into 2023, it has become clear to me that a gold in Olympics 2024 is a must for Malaysia. Our first gold medal and our attempt at winning will birth new national heroes, inspire a generation of champions, uplift all sports at all levels, we will harbour bigger dreams in every area of life and industry, and we will believe in ourselves again.
The ‘Road to Gold’ is not just about bringing home a medal from Paris 2024. It is about creating a template for how we invest in our athletes, how we make every competition count, how we can foster a sports ecosystem sustainably, how we gather data for grassroots scouting, how we can help our athletes build fanbases, and how to improve our measurements of sport development and success.” she said.
Netizens have applauded Hannah for her desire to inspire and motivate our athletes!
“Well said, YB Hannah Yeoh. May your words inspire our athletes to greater heights. Malaysians have reached Mt Everest. Next will be an Olympic Gold.” wrote one commenter.
While another Facebook user committed her support to encourage our athletes, “Well said YB. We will do all that we can to achieve our dreams for National Sports.”
As we close out 2022, let’s wish our very best to all our athletes for the coming year and encourage them every step of the way on their journey to success. Malaysia Boleh!
