Sea Games: Athletes need winning mentality to succeed - Khairy

Athletes selected to represent the country in the Kuala Lumpur SEA Games (KL2017) must have a winning mentality to ensure success said Youth and Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin.

The centralised training camp to be held from tomorrow to Aug 10, will serve as the final platform for athletes to build their physical and mental strength and tune themselves up before moving into the competition phase.

"The final centralised training camp will focus on preparing the athletes with a winning mentality before they go into the real 'battle' for medals. In terms of technical, tactical, physical and training, they have reached the optimum level.

"What is needed now is to instill the winning mentality so that they can go into the competition with confidence and the desire to win. The desire to win is important when in the battle ground so that they can absorb the mounting pressure during competition," said Khairy after receiving a sponsorship pledge for the KL2017 from Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB), today.

Khairy said preparations for the KL2017 had started immediately after the 2015 SEA Games in Singapore through various programmes initiated under the 'Kita Juara Programme'.

"There is no denying that Thailand will be our main rival in the race for medals and the overall title. The difference in the medal tally might not be big," he said when asked to comment on defending champion Thailand's 100-gold target for the KL2017.

Malaysia as the host will be fielding the biggest contingent comprising 874 athletes while have decided to send 858 athletes.

Based on the 111 gold medals that was needed to clinch the overall title in 2001 when Malaysia hosted the games in Kuala Lumpur, a similar number of gold medals would be needed to emerge as the overall champion in the KL2017.

-- BERNAMA