OCM receives greenlight for 98 additional athletes for 2018 Commonwealth Games

KUALA LUMPUR: More Malaysian athletes are expected to compete in the 2018 Commonwealth Games hosted by Australia on the Gold Coast, after the Olympic Council of Malaysia (OCM) received an additional quota of 98 participants for the games.
The OCM Selection Committee will meet on Dec 8 and 9, to finalise the list of athletes for the Commonwealth Games.
"During the Selection Committee meeting, we will finalise between 80 to 90% of the athletes who will represent the country at the Commonwealth Games. That percentage will not include those who have qualified on merit or those competing in the Paralympic events," OCM honorary secretary Datuk Low Beng Choo told reporters when met at Wisma OCM, here today.
Beng Choo said the quota must be filled with athletes whose achievements are on par with the Commonwealth Games level and not just the Asean level. To fill the quota will not be difficult, but what is important is that winning a SEA Games gold medal will not guarantee a ticket to the Commonwealth Games.
OCM president Tan Sri Tunku Imran Tuanku Jaafar had announced yesterday that Malaysia will be sending a big contingent for the first time after the men's and women's hockey teams, women's rugby and women's basketball teams qualified for the Commonwealth Games on merit.
The Commonwealth Games is scheduled from April 4 to 15, 2018.
In the 2014 Glasgow Commonwealth Games held in Scotland, Malaysia finished 12th overall with six gold, four silver and six bronze medals. — Bernama