KUALA LUMPUR, May 5 (Bernama) -- Malaysian Athletics (MA) is expecting the arrival of six new coaches by May or June, with some local coaches possibly starting by the end of this month,” said its technical director Robert Ballard.
He confirmed to Bernama that all the individuals had been notified, with the next step being the formalisation of contracts.
He added that MA had been in regular contact with the National Sports Council (MSN) since last year to resolve the matter.
“We’ve made all the recommendations and we’re really, really hopeful that these appointments will go ahead. I hope this can happen very soon. The requests have been in place for more than a couple of months, not just since last week.
“We’ve been following up constantly, but delays are inevitable when it comes to funding, visas and the fact that some of the international coaches are still employed elsewhere. We are hoping that this will now occur in May or June.
“There's a possibility some of them could be here towards the end of this month, as some of the six are local coaches,” he said when met at the Kuala Lumpur Super Series Athletics Championships at Merdeka Stadium yesterday.
Ballard said the appointments are crucial for MA’s long-term plan to expand its national programme to include more than 100 athletes, not just in Kuala Lumpur but across Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah and Sarawak.
“We need to have greater outreach and if we get these new coaches on board, then we'll be able to dedicate the time and effort needed to structure these programmes and assist state coaches with the athletes in the national set-up.
“...hopefully help those coaches with workshops and developing other younger athletes who can push themselves and elevate into the programme,” he said.
Commenting on the Kuala Lumpur Super Series Athletics Championships, Ballard said he was thrilled to witness a new wave of young talent emerging in Malaysian athletics, with younger athletes challenging their seniors and driving overall progress through healthy competition.
He added that while the 2025 SEA Games is a key milestone for this year, it should be viewed as a stepping stone rather than the ultimate goal.
Ballard outlined a long-term vision leading up to the 2032 Olympics, expressing hope to see Malaysian athletes reaching the finals on the world stage.
-- BERNAMA
