KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysia Mountaineering Federation (MFF) is optimistic about developing world-class sport climbers in preparation for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games.
MFF deputy president Akbal Amin Asain said the Thailand Sea Games in December will serve as a crucial platform for Malaysian climbers to gain confidence and showcase their potential.
The World Cup events in China (April 19-20) and Indonesia (May 3-5) are the other important assignments this year.
"The National Sports Council (NSC) has engaged us to outline our plans and aims to develop four to five elite athletes for the LA Olympics," said Akbal.
"To achieve this, we will organise ranking competitions to select athletes and establish a national team.
"Malaysia has a strong community of climbers, including talented athletes based abroad. With the right investment in infrastructure, I believe we can achieve great results.
"Unfortunately, some of our facilities are outdated and have suffered from weather-related wear and tear. Upgrading them is essential."
Sport climbing consists of three disciplines: speed, bouldering, and lead.
Akbal noted that Malaysian climbers were once on par with their Indonesian counterparts, but their regional rivals have since surged ahead, particularly in the speed discipline.
This progress culminated in Veddriq Leonardo's gold medal win at the Paris Olympics last year.
"In the men's category, we have strong athletes across all disciplines. However, for the women's category, we currently have athletes only in the bouldering discipline, which is a gap we must address.
"With proper guidance and infrastructure, I believe our athletes can become Olympic champions one day," he added.