KUALA LUMPUR: The national men’s squash team does not want to be left behind in contributing a gold medal to the national contingent at the SEA Games in Singapore in June.
The biennial meet will also be a platform to prove whether the backup players are capable of replacing the senior players at bigger championships in the future.
Sanjay Singh Chal and Muhammad Addeen Idraki are among the fresh faces who will carry the national challenge at he SEA Games and have set a target of one gold medal and a bronze medal.
“We want to ensure one of us will win a gold medal at the coming SEA Games,” said Muhammad Addeen when met after attending a meeting with the contingent head to the SEA Games, Datuk Seri Mohamad Norza Zakaria at Bukit Jalil yesterday.
Sanjay Singh said the meet would be a platform to test the capabilities of young players.
Squash has been listed as one of the events at the SEA Games in Singapore after eight years.
It offers five gold medals in individual and team events in the men’s and women’s categories, and men’s doubles (jumbo doubles).
As a final preparation before going to Singapore, the national squad will take part in the Malaysian Tour Squash Circuit in Penang on May 18 to 22.
Meanwhile, the floorball team is also targeting a gold medal despite having to face a stiff fight from hosts Singapore.
Malaysia Floorball Association president Rizal Razman said the national squad won two silver medals via the men’s and women’s teams at the SEA Games in Myanmar two years ago although it was only a demonstration event.
“If we get adequate assistance, I am confident a gold medal for floorball is not impossible,” he said. — Bernama