KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 13 — The National Sports Council (NSC) and the Olympic Council of Malaysia (OCM) today signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Nippon Sport Science University of Japan in hopes of winning the elusive Olympic gold.

The MoU aims to provide opportunities for knowledge sharing and expertise related to sports science and physical education with the university known as Nittaidai.

NSC, in a statement today, said the university was ready to offer expertise by helping to empower the application of sports science through scientific studies, training and the latest technology led by experienced academic experts.

It will also provide opportunities for the NSC and OCM to send national athletes and coaches for attachment programmes and training camps at the university, in addition to expertise for research projects in the field of sports science, coaching development and physical education curriculum.

"Japan’s premier institution of higher education has a great record in producing world-class athletes and has already produced 137 Japanese Olympic and Paralympic medallists,” it said.

At the MoU signing ceremony, NSC was represented by director-general Datuk Ahmad Shapawi Ismail, OCM was represented by president Tan Sri Mohamad Norza Zakaria and Nippon Sports Science University was represented by board chairman Kenshiro Matsunami.

"Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh hopes the MoU inked today will see Malaysia take a step closer to making the Road to Gold at the Olympics a reality,” it added. — Bernama