LA28: COMPOUND ARCHERY OFFERS MALAYSIA NEW SHOT AT GOLD – PEKAN

KUALA LUMPUR, April 14 (Bernama) -- The debut of the compound archery event at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games (LA28) offers additional opportunities for Malaysia to chase medals, but the aim for a first-ever gold must be assessed realistically, said local sports analyst Datuk Dr Pekan Ramli.

He said that while the inclusion of the compound event provides a new platform for athletes to contend for medals, including gold, the formidable challenge posed by global compound archery powerhouses should not be underestimated.

Pekan said that, for now, the focus should be on planning training programmes and the qualification process to secure participation first.

bootstrap slideshow

“I would not dare say that the compound event will automatically open a bigger opportunity for Malaysia to clinch its first Olympic gold. It is better that we qualify first. We must realise that this event actually offers greater chances for Asian archery giants like South Korea, India, and Taiwan.

“That’s not to mention the other teams ranked among the world’s best in compound archery such as Türkiye, Italy, the United States, France, the Netherlands, and Mexico,” he told Bernama today.

He added that the current standing of Malaysian archers, who are placed outside the world’s top 20, is also insufficient to make the compound event Malaysia’s main hope for gold at LA28.

“European stars like Mike Schloesser of the Netherlands, Mathias Fullerton of Denmark, and several American champions will certainly be eyeing their first gold at LA28.

“We do have talented archers such as Mohd Juwaidi Mazuki, Alang Arif Aqil Muhammad Ghazalli, and Syafiq Md Ariffin, who won a bronze medal in the men’s team compound event at the Hangzhou 2022 Asian Games. However, we must measure our expectations realistically,” he said.

Thus, Pekan urged the National Archery Association of Malaysia (NAAM) to take proactive steps by commencing intensive training for the national compound squad as early as possible.

He emphasised that a more rigorous training approach is needed to strengthen the athletes’ mental resilience, especially when facing high-pressure situations at prestigious sports events.

Additionally, he said NAAM should increase the participation of Malaysian archers in more competitive continental and world-level tournaments to help them gain experience and improve their international rankings.

“...and lastly, they must consider implementing more specific and high-calibre coaching methods and services, tailored for the compound discipline,” he said.

Last week, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced the inclusion of the mixed team compound event as a medal event at LA28.

The latest achievement of the national compound squad came through the partnership of Alang Arif and Fatin Nurfatehah Mat Salleh, who delivered a proud moment by winning the gold medal in the mixed team event at the 2025 Asian Cup in Bangkok last February.

Malaysia have consistently had archers qualify on merit for the recurve event at several previous Olympic Games, including three archers qualifying for the Paris 2024 Olympics.

-- BERNAMA