"Every Point Matters": NSC Chief Jefri Says Malaysia Halfway to Six-Gold Target
Three golds in two days have put Malaysia halfway to its Asian Games gold target, and NSC director-general Jefri Ngadirin is urging athletes to keep pushing.
Before the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games began, Malaysia set itself a target of six golds. After three golds in two days, the contingent is already halfway there, and National Sports Council (NSC) director-general Jefri Ngadirin wants the athletes to keep going.
Speaking on Wednesday (23 September), Jefri said Malaysia's three gold medals and five bronzes at that point had put the contingent halfway to its gold target. He also made clear that the job was not finished.
"Every point, every second and every opportunity matters. We want to see all our athletes give their best, fight until the very end and carry the Malaysian spirit into every competition," he said, as reported by Malay Mail and Bernama.
The three golds so far
- Adeola Fay Robert: karate, women's under-55kg kumite (22 September)
- Taj Izrin Aiman Taj Madira: esports, Gran Turismo 7 (23 September)
- C. Shahmalarani: karate, women's under-50kg kumite (23 September)
When Jefri spoke, the bronzes had come from Thevendran Kaliana Sundram and H. Sureeya Sankar (karate kumite), the men's karate kata team, and wushu exponents Tan Cheong Min and Clement Ting Su Wei. Later that evening, the eFootball pair of Muhammad Hariz Hazmi Hakimin and Farish Luzman added a silver, bringing Malaysia to 3 golds, 1 silver and 5 bronzes.
The full target: six golds, 33 medals
The six-gold goal is part of a wider target announced on 8 September:
- 6 golds
- 7 silvers
- 20 bronzes
- 33 medals in total
Chef de mission Datuk Mohd Sumali Reduan said then that the target was "realistic based on current performances and recent achievements".
Malaysia sent 352 athletes and 185 officials to Japan, competing in 30 of the 43 sports and 156 of the 469 events, according to Malay Mail's report on the target announcement. Thirteen sports were named as medal prospects: track cycling, badminton, archery, diving, squash, sepak takraw, hockey, athletics, sailing, karate, wushu, esports and shooting.
Ahead of schedule on golds, work left on the total
In gold terms, Malaysia is ahead of where many expected, partly because karate and esports delivered earlier than planned. The overall total is a different story. Nine medals out of 33 means there is still a lot of work to do, and the Games run until 4 October.
There have also been setbacks. Both badminton team events ended in the quarter-finals on 22 September. Several of the 13 target sports, including squash, hockey, sepak takraw, athletics and track cycling, are still in progress or have yet to start their medal events.
That is why Jefri's message focused on effort in every event rather than celebrating. With the first half of the gold target done, the remaining three golds will likely need to come from sports that have not yet reached their finals.
Key takeaways
- NSC director-general Jefri Ngadirin said Malaysia is halfway to its six-gold target.
- Malaysia's full target is 6 golds, 7 silvers and 20 bronzes, for 33 medals.
- After Wednesday's events, the tally stood at 3 golds, 1 silver and 5 bronzes.
- Squash, hockey, sepak takraw, athletics and cycling are among the target sports still competing.
FAQ
What is Malaysia's Asian Games target? Six golds, seven silvers and 20 bronzes, a total of 33 medals.
Who set the target? It was announced on 8 September. Chef de mission Datuk Mohd Sumali Reduan described it as realistic.
When do the Games end? The Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games close on 4 October.
Sources: Malay Mail, Bernama