SEPANG, Aug 24 — Badminton is still the country’s best hope of winning the gold medal at the next Olympic Games in Tokyo, according to Youth and Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin.

He said the success of the badminton squad at the Rio Olympics had proven that more than one category had prospects of bringing home the coveted gold.

Khairy said the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) had reached its initial target set with the three silver medals picked up at the Olympics this time around, and he was confident that the badminton event would provide the country with its first gold medal in Tokyo later.

"BAM has a long-term plan which is being implemented by Morten Frost Hansen (technical director). The badminton players almost got the gold for the country.

"We were competitive in all the events, be it singles, doubles or mixed doubles. The women’s doubles team also exhibited a good performance,” he told a press conference  at the Bunga Raya Complex, KLIA here today.

Badminton was the most potent sport for the country during the Games, bagging three silver medals through Datuk Lee Chong Wei in the men’s singles, Tan Wee Kiong/Goh V Shem (men’s doubles) and Chan Peng Soon/Goh Liu Ying (mixed doubles).

Khairy also urged other Malaysian professional shuttlers to join BAM, as it had the best and most systematic programme for national athletes.

"In the next five years, there will be many competitive junior players in the BAM programme. In my view, the good players out there should join the BAM.

"I have been informed, that to participate in any international tournament, players must first pass a certain fitness level. BAM currently emphasises more on fitness elements,” he said.

Khairy added that the construction of the National Badminton Academy set to be completed by December this year, was also the best platform to produce better junior shuttlers.

"We have begun discussions with the Ministry of Education to increase the number of junior athletes at the school and state levels,” he said.

Khairy said the ministry and the National Sports Council (NSC) had also planned to add more coaches from China to train the country’s young diving athletes.

He also believed that the country should have more cyclists like Mohd Azizulhasni Awang, who won a bronze medal at the Olympic Games in Rio.

Meanwhile, Khairy said the national karate athletes also had a good chance of winning honours for the country at the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo.

"We have some world-class karate athletes, we are still awaiting the classification for karate at the Tokyo Olympics,” he said. — Bernama