THE Malaysian Weightlifting Federation (MWF) hopes to send a bigger contingent, than initially planned, to the Incheon Asian Games next month to get a headstart in their quest to qualify for the 2016 Olympics.
MWF deputy president Ahmad Janius Abdullah said the Asian Games and the recent Commonwealth Games have for the first time, been included by the International Weightlifting Federation as qualifying events for the Olympiad.
Though earning an individual berth in the Olympics is a bigger ask, Ahmad Janius disclosed that making the cut via team classification is a realistic target.
Each national lifter earns points for their country at a qualifier based on where they finish in their respective weight divisions. If Malaysia qualify via the team route, the national body will be allowed to nominate a lifter to compete in the 2016 Olympics.
“Initially we had planned to send only two men and two women lifters to Incheon but now that it is an Olympic qualifier, we are looking to send more,” said Ahmad Janius.
“Just how many more we can send is not confirmed yet as we have to discuss that with the Olympic Council of Malaysia but we are expecting a few more slots at the least.
“We had only found out that the Commonwealth and Asian Games are being classified as qualifying events during the Commonwealth Games team managers meeting in Glasgow last month.
“We managed to send a reasonably big squad to Scotland so we have managed to get points from there. Winning a gold is worth 25 points but even if one of our lifters finishes around the 20th place, we still get points, so every little effort counts.
“Qualifying via the team event is based on continent and we have to finish in the top-six in Asia to be safe.”
Malaysia sent 12 lifters to the Commonwealth Games, which saw Mohd Hafifi Mansor living up to expectations by delivering gold in the men’s 69kg class while back-up lifter Zulhelmi Md Pisol surprised many by clinching the men’s 56kg silver.
The competition will be much tougher in South Korea as the Asian field is expected to comprise a substantial number of Olympic medallists in both the men’s and women’s competitions. By Fadhli Ishak