36 gold medal target for Asian University Games

Malaysia's gold medal target for the 16th Asean University Games (AUG) to be held in Laos from Dec 12, will hinge on swimming and diving.

Malaysia's Chef-de-Mission for the AUG, Prof Dr Yahaya Ibrahim said apart from swimming and diving, athletics and archery are also targetted to contribute gold medals.

"Our target for the games this time is 36 gold medals," he said here. Yahaya said Malaysia were confident of winning at least 11 gold medals in swimming competitions, both in the men's and women's events, which offers 40 gold medals (20 each in men's and women's).

He added that national swimmers Kevin Yeap and Chui Lai Kwan are the country's main hope in swimming events.

Apart from swimming, the diving squad headed by 2012 London Olympics bronze medallist Pandelela Rinong and seasoned campaigner Bryan Nickson Lomas and national archer Fatin Nur Fatihah Mat Salleh are also expected to contribute gold medals in Laos.

Meanwhile, Malaysian AUG contingent's Communication officer Nur Ekmal Buhary said with the presence of a number of national athletes in the contingent, there was every reason to be optimistic of achieving the target.

He added that the Malaysian AUG contingent would check into the Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) campus tomorrow for the final phase of centralised training before leaving to Laos on Dec 7.

In the 2010 AUG hosted by Thailand in Chiang Mai, Malaysia finished in fourth place after winning 37 gold, 36 silver and 44 bronze medals.