PUTRAJAYA, Oct 15 (Bernama) -- Malaysia are targeting at least one medal at the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games (YOG) in Senegal from Oct 31 to Nov 13, with badminton and wushu among the country’s main medal hopes.
Youth and Sports Minister Dr Mohammed Taufiq Johari said the target was based on the potential of the athletes and was expected to be achievable through the 12 young Malaysians who will represent the country at the fourth edition of the Games.
“We certainly want to carry our previous successes into the YOG. We have seen our achievements at the 2025 SEA Games, the 2026 Commonwealth Games and the 2026 Asian Games, and now we have the YOG and the Asian Para Games, which begin this weekend.
“The YOG is a very important event, especially for athletes under 18, as it provides an opportunity to nurture more talent and prepare them to progress to the next level,” he said.
He was speaking after officiating at the Jalur Gemilang handover ceremony for the Malaysian contingent to the Dakar 2026 YOG at the Youth and Sports Ministry (KBS) Tower here today.
The Malaysian contingent comprises six male and six female athletes competing in 16 events across nine sports: athletics, swimming, badminton, beach volleyball, breaking, fencing, sailing, skateboarding and wushu.
Meanwhile, Malaysian contingent Chef de Mission (CDM) Wong Weng Son expressed confidence in the ability of the country’s badminton and wushu representatives to put up a strong challenge, although he acknowledged that the team faced particular challenges following changes in the sporting landscape after the COVID-19 pandemic.
The former 2017 and 2023 wushu world champion said Malaysia would field one athlete in the combined Taijiquan and Taijijian event, scheduled from Nov 1 to 3, while badminton would be represented by one men’s singles player.
Weng Son, who is serving as CDM for the first time, said his priority was to ensure every athlete delivered their best performance, including setting personal bests as preparation for future major competitions.
“The most important thing is for them to achieve their personal bests so they are ready for future competitions such as the 2027 SEA Games or, if possible, the Olympic Games. I think that is what matters most for every athlete,” he said.
The Dakar 2026 YOG will make history as the first Olympic event to be held on the African continent, with about 2,700 young athletes from around the world expected to participate. The Malaysian delegation comprises 26 members, including nine coaches and four secretariat officials.
Malaysia won two gold medals at the 2018 edition in Buenos Aires, Argentina, the last edition held, through Goh Jin Wei in women’s badminton singles and the national men’s hockey 5s team.
-- BERNAMA