KUALA LUMPUR, May 20 — The Youth and Sports Ministry’s development programme to produce back athletes is showing results, said its minister Khairy Jamaludin.

He said it had unearthed talents as young as seven years old.

“This programme’s success was seen at the Myanmar SEA Games last year when the back up athletes won nine gold, six silver and 15 bronze medals,” he said at the 2013 Sports Awards Night at the Juara Stadium in Bukit Kiara here last night.

The awards were presented by Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.

According to Khairy, the number of back up athletes elevated to the National Sports Council’s elite category for 2013 rose to 40 athletes as compared to 39 in 2012, 37 in 2011 and 34 in 2010.

Khairy also said that it was hoped that through the National Football Development Plan, the number of male footballers between the ages of seven an 17 could be increased to 47,500 and to 3,625 women footballers by 2020.

He said the government was committed to see more athletes shine on the international stage and had commenced preparation programmes for big meets like the Commonwealth and Asian Games this year, next year’s SEA Games in Singapore and the Rio Olympics in Brazil in 2016.

“My ministry has also started preparing athletes for the 2017 Kuala Lumpur SEA Games so that we can emerge as the overall champions,” he added. — Bernama