Chong Wei carries our dream of winning gold at London Olympics

IN less than six months from today we are going to witness the greatest show on earth — the 2012 London Olympic Games.

Millions of sports fans all over the world will flock to London city to watch the Olympic Games and also live over TV at home. Several of our athletes too will be there in July to participate and try to win medals for themselves and do the country proud.

Ever since the games began, we have only won silver medals through Datuk Lee Chong Wei (pic) and our men’s doubles badminton pair, Cheah Soon Kit and Yap Kim Hock. Gold medals have eluded us ever since the inception of the Olympics in 1896.

We came close to getting the gold medal during 1996 Olympics Games in Atlanta, US, through our men’s badminton doubles pair. Unluckily, it was not a day to be for them — so close and yet so far away as the saying goes.

This time around, we still similarly place high hopes in our athletes delivering that elusive dream of winning the first Olympic gold medal. Our best bet for the gold medal during this summer London Olympics is ofcourse through the efforts of Lee — the No 1 world men’s badminton singles player. He failed once during the Beijing Olympic Games in 2008 but that was not bad.

He brought home the silver. Of course there is a distinct difference between a gold medal and a silver.

A gold medal winner is the champion and fans only remember the champion. One has to agree that it is never easy to play and win in front of Olympic home fans. If one can do it, obviously it is a great achievement and satisfaction for the particular athlete.

Lee must forget about the past debacle and that sad episode should be taken seriously as a lesson learned. Our athletes need to create history in London by winning the gold medal. London can be considered as neutral a ground and it means Lee has an equal or perhaps a better chance of getting the gold medal. It’s now or never for him.

In reality, it is never easy to win a gold medal in any Olympic Games. It all boils down how well an athlete has prepared himself and has the ability to cope during the Olympics.

Just by asking any Olympian, he will definitely testify that the pressure during the games is tremendous. Many athletes fumble during the event and only a few last. Peaking for the Olympics is what matters for most athletes.

It’s about having the right ingredients in terms of physical and mental state and the elements of an effective game strategic plan.

To qualify for the Olympics is tough and to win medals is a lot tougher.

Good luck to Lee and other Malaysian athletes who will be competing in London this July. All of them have an important role to play and mission to accomplish.

Indeed, there is no short cut to Olympics achievement. It really warrants sheer hard work and commitment from the athletes themselves.

It’s either gold or no gold for us at the London Olympics.

HAMDAN AHMAD
FACULTY OF SPORTS SCIENCE
UITM SHAH ALAM SELANGOR