MALAYSIA'S 10 BEST BET ON THE GOLD COAST

Malaysia's 10 best bet on the Gold Coast

Tuesday, April 3, 2018
GOLD COAST: The country's contingent sent 178 athletes (102 men and 76 women) to compete in 16 sports in the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games to be revealed tomorrow

Here are 10 national athletes who need to be concentrated and become the country's contingent bet for the gold medal of the world's second largest game:

1. LEE CHONG WEI (BADMINTON)

The sixth world number one is determined to name it as the most successful athlete in the Commonwealth Games. After collecting four gold medals so far, the Olympic silver medalist has the chance to overtake the country's doubles record, Koo Kien Keat who won five golds in the Commonwealth. Chong Wei is scheduled to contest in men's singles and mixed teams on the Gold Coast. Players from India are the main threats for Chong Wei in singles event and the country has also been given a choice in mixed team events. Australia is considered Chong Wei's last appearance in the world's second-largest game.

2. PANDELELA RINONG (" TERJUN ")

The Sarawak-born athlete is the country's most successful jumper with a collection of medals at the World Championships, the Olympic and other major tournaments. However, his current performance can be regarded as somewhat inconvenient especially in individual events following the injury problem faced. Pandelela became the first country athlete to win the gold medal in the parade in the Commonwealth when it beat the 10-meter platform of individual women platforms in New Delhi 2010 followed by silver in Glasgow, four years later. At the Gold Coast, he will be competing in individual platforms and along with Cheong Jun Hoong. Based on his current performance, he and Jun Hoong are the preferred platform platforms but they need to show their best performance to overcome couplings from Canada, Australia and England whose standards are not far behind.

3. CHEONG JUN HOONG ("TERJUN")

Jun Hoong created a shock when he became the first national athlete to win the gold medal at last year's World Championships in Budapest, Hungary. However, since then, he has not succeeded in continuing to follow-up with struggles with back injury. Known as an athlete who plays quite well during the training, however, Jun Hoong can be stripped of pressure during the tournament. Like Pandelela, this 28-year-old athlete is in the same platform and individual platform on the Gold Coast. Ironically, Jun Hoong has never won any medals at the Commonwealth Games but he has the chance to do it this year.

4. AZIZULHASNI AWANG ("BERBASIKAL TREK")

The dreams of Dungun-born Terengganu athlete to win the first Commonwealth gold medal depend on his fitness level after he was still struggling with a viral infection. Azizulhasni, who won the bronze medal in team sprint (2010) and keirin (2014), will be competing in sprint and keirin on the Gold Coast. The country's trekking cyclist is determined to rise following his failure to defend the world championship in the Netherlands last month. He should have no problem adapting to the situation on the Gold Coast because he has been practicing in Melbourne since 11 years ago. However, Azizulhasni is expected to face challenging tasks when his opponent is among the world's best cyclists from Australia and England.

5. NAURAJ SINGH RANDHAWA ("OLAHRAGA")

The 26-year-old is seen as the best prospect of the country to end the 16-year drought gold medal in sporting events. With the best record of 2.30 meters, the three-time winner of the SEA Games had the opportunity to not only make a surprise by ending the rivals on the podium stage, but also won a gold medal if he managed to repeat the record while doing a national record. Despite having only 2.24 meters this year, Nauraj has undergone intensive training in Australia since the end of 2017 under coach Alex Stewart in his bid to win the medal at the Carrara Stadium on April 11. Australian athletes, Brandon Starc, Indian champion Tejaswin Shankar and Bahamas athlete, Jamal Wilson who have all passed the 2.28-meter record this year are expected major rivals for the gold medal.

6. NICOL DAVID (SKUASY)

The eight-time world champion is aiming to win the third consecutive gold medal at the Commonwealth Games. Thus, the Penang-born athlete arrived early in the Gold Coast to get compatibility with the ring at Oxenford Studios. Present as world number three, the 35-year-old has got a bye in the first round when squash event opens its curtain, April 5. Unlike the two previous editions, Nicol is no longer a gold-winning candidate but the five-time British Open champion can be shocked by the quality and spirit of his own. He made his debut at the Commonwealth Games when he was 15 years old with Kuala Lumpur advocating it in 1998.

7. AZROY HAZAL WAFIE IZHAR AHMAD (WEIGHT LIFTING)

The weightlifting athlete with this podium program is the country's main hope to win the gold medal following the suspension of former winner of the edition, Hafifi Mansor due to doping (steroid anabolic). Azroy will start his campaign on April 5 in the category of 56 kilograms (kg) where he intends to end the drought that last won in 2010 (New Delhi) through Amirul Hamizan Ibrahim. While at the Kuala Lumpur SEA Games 2017, the Rompin-born athlete, Pahang, managed to make 258kg.

8. AFIQ AFIFE RIZAN-KHAIRUL ADHA RASOL ("BASIC TREK PARA")

The national track cycling athlete, Afiq Afify Rizan and pilot Mohd Khairul Adha Rasol will be desperate to rise on the Gold Coast following their failure to climb the podium at the World Trek Cycling championship in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil last month. The two Asian winners were eliminated in the semi-finals in men's tandem sprint (B) at Rio to Scottish athlete, Neil Fachie-Matthew Rotherham. Afiq-Khairul is the only singles athlete on the Gold Coast and will compete in two events namely tandem (B) 1 kilometer (km) time test on April 5 and sprint on April 7 at Anna Meares Velodrome. They seem to have a chance to challenge the podium position in the test of time after making a new Asian record in the 1km event in Rio. The pair had a record of 1: 04.192 seconds to be in the eighth position in the 1km time trial thus eliminating Japan's 1: 04.266s Japan-made Tatsuyuki Oshiro-Yasufumi Ito in the 2012 Paralympic Games in London.

9.EMMA FIRYANA SAROJI ("BOLING PADANG")

Emma is one of the best golf bowling athletes in the world and proves her brilliance when winning the World Championships in 2015. The 31-year-old hopes to get better results on the Gold Coast after just winning silver in the four-year edition of Glasgow. He made compatriots who are also world champion twice singles, Siti Zalina Ahmad as inspiration to contest in the individual and team categories. Emma is expected to be paired with Siti Zalina in the team event.

10. JOHNATHAN WONG GUANJIE ("MENEMBAK")

It's been the most prestigious moment for Johnathan two years ago when it qualifies for 2016 Brazil Rio Olympics merit in addition to defeating Vietnam's Olympic champion Hoang Xuan Vinh to win the gold medal in Kuala Lumpur 2017 in the 50-meter event and 10 meters pistol. Gold Coast is the second Commonwealth Games after Glasgow (2014) where he finishes seventh in the pistol water event. The Melaka-born athlete is excited to play in Australia as it became his first international tournament since the SEA Games and has been training hard to prepare for his mental and physical fitness for the Games. He believes he can finish his podium position.