KUALA LUMPUR: Winning gold at the Paris Olympics would be a huge bonus as there is a risk Malaysia could even walk away from the Games empty-handed.
That is the view of sports analyst Datuk Dr Pekan Ramli who said that there are no clear cut prospects for gold in the national contingent that will compete in France.
"It's not my intent to be sceptical or negative. However, we have to be realistic here and really look at the facts and figures," said Pekan today.
"Our main hope for gold medals will be in the badminton and track cycling competitions.
"In previous editions of the Games, we had Datuk Lee Chong Wei as our hope for gold and he had the credentials.
"At his peak, he was world No. 1 or No. 2, and he won tournaments back-to-back. Although he was unable to win gold, he reached the Olympic final three times (2008, 2012, 2016) which proved he was a true contender.
"With Lee Zii Jia, it's not quite the same as with Chong Wei.
"Zii Jia is (world No. 7) and although he has shown better form in recent months and won a number of titles, he did not have to face all of the top players in the world at those tournaments.
"The draw for our shuttlers is also quite tough and reaching the quarter-finals will be challenging.
"So, there is always the risk that we could end up without any medals in Paris as has happened to us before at Athens 2004 and Sydney 2000."
Pekan added that any medals from track cyclist Azizulhasni Awang, now 36, should be considered a "bonus" for Malaysia.
Azizulhasni, who made his Olympic debut at Beijing 2008, is set to make his fifth appearance at the Games, a record for a Malaysian male athlete.
"Azizulhasni is still able to perform at a very high level and is still as motivated as ever. It would not be a surprise to see him in the keirin final again," added Pekan.
"He has gone through some tough challenges over the past few years with his surgery and so on. It has definitely not been easy for him.
"He has already done so much for the country over the years, and has contributed Olympic medals at Rio 2016 (bronze) and Tokyo 2020 (silver).
"Whatever he achieves in Paris should be considered a bonus for Malaysia. He has already proved himself over the years."
Azizulhasni underwent open heart surgery to correct a coronary artery anomaly in April 2022, and spent the rest of the year recovering. He has come back strong since then.
Pekan said it is highly unlikely Malaysia will be able to challenge for gold in sports other than badminton or track cycling.
"We rarely see athletes who are ranked outside the top-30 or 40 in their respective sports go on to win gold medals at the Olympics.
"It's also rare that debutants win gold medal at the Olympics. This is, after all, the toughest competition in sports."
Malaysia will be represented by 26 athletes in 11 sports in Paris. The Games opening ceremony will be held at Jardins du Trocadero tomorrow.