KUALA LUMPUR, April 15 (NNN-Bernama) — The Youth and Sports Ministry (KBS) Wednesday launched the ‘100 Days to Tokyo’ countdown to boost the national athletes’ fighting spirit in the run-up to the Olympics 2020 scheduled to begin this July.
During the event held at the National Sports Council (NSC) in Bukit Jalil, minister Reezal Merican Naina Merican also flagged off five participants of the Road to Tokyo 2020 tour programme which aimed to garner support from the people across the country.
The tour programme is set to finish in Bukit Jalil in a ceremony to hand over the Jalur Gemilang to the national contingent to the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympic Games, in early July.
“This is not to put pressure on our athletes, not at all. When we decide to launch the 100 days countdown, we only want to highlight three things to all Malaysian athletes.
“Firstly, all of you are not alone in the Olympics journey. Secondly, to fulfil the hope, dreams and prayers of the people and thirdly, to cheer for the athletes,” he said at the launching ceremony here, today.
Also present were the Deputy Youth and Sports Minister Wan Ahmad Fayhsal Wan Ahmad Kamal, Olympic Council of Malaysia president Mohamad Norza Zakaria and Paralympic Council of Malaysia president Megat D. Shariman Zaharudin.
NSC director-general Ahmad Shapawi Ismail, Malaysian contingent’s chef de mission (CDM) for the Tokyo Olympic Games 2020 Datuk Lee Chong Wei and national athletes were also present.
At the same time, Reezal Merican also launched the kontinjenmalaysia.my official website which will be the medium for current updates and platform to garner support and views from the people for the athletes.
Meanwhile, #DEMIMALAYSIA was chosen as the slogan and rallying call to motivate athletes towards Tokyo 2020 and the Road to Tokyo (RTT) QR Code was also activated at the event to monitor the distribution of RTT 2020 supporters.
To date, 12 athletes have successfully qualified for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games while 23 athletes under the RTT programme are still undergoing the qualification process, to be held until June.
Ten para-athletes have also qualified for the Paralympic Games in August, while 14 athletes are still under the qualification process.
— NNN-BERNAMA