Sports activities are an integral part of Malaysian culture, and as such they are nurtured and cherished. People from this country have a healthy relationship with sports manifestations from both participation and spectating aspects. Numerous disciplines are considered popular and loved in this country, including Sepak Takraw, football, badminton, squash, athletics, etc.
These sports are broadcasted and have sold-out events, making the sportsmen who participate in them very famous and recognizable. Athletes are the best role models, as they promote a healthy way of life and good habits. That is why parents encourage their children to look up to them.
With the change of generations, we can see some fresh new talents becoming new rising stars.
Popularity of Athletes in Malaysia
Every nation in the world has a special place for its athletes. They are the ones bringing us joy when we watch them perform and represent our country in competitions, representing the values that we want to promote. There are so many articles about the most famous ones or the most successful ones.
There are even articles that are investigating which are the richest Malaysian athletes, something you may find out by checking this list if you ever wondered about that. They are loved, followed, and appreciated. They are considered as some of the most famous people in the country.
That is why the new generations want to follow in the steps of Lee Chong Wei, the famous badminton player, or Nicol David, the squash player, and eight-time world champion. According to some surveys, Nicol is ranked 2nd as the most famous Malaysian, and Lee is 3rd.
This information is the motivation for new generations of athletes to work hard and perform well in the sport of their choosing. To nurture their talent and become successful.
The Most Beloved Sports Disciplines in Malaysia
As we mentioned before, some sports are more important to the people of this nation. The national sport is the Sepak Takraw, also known to most people as kick volleyball. This is an adrenaline-packed event in which people demonstrate incredible physique. It is a representation of Malaysian culture and tradition and more than a sport.
Some disciplines were imported from Western civilizations, and they have a special place in the hearts of Malaysian people. Badminton is considered by some as the number one sport in the country. More than 12 percent of the total population of more than 33 million people play it actively.
The reason for badminton’s extreme popularity may lie in the fact that the nation’s first-ever medal in the Olympic games was achieved in badminton, in the Summer Olympics of 1992. Closely behind badminton we have, of course, football. As the most popular sport in the world, it reached the Malaysian people in 1921, thanks to the British soldiers who were in this part of the world. And they fell for it hard.
There are numerous clubs, and the national team is held in high regard. Making their best players important to the fans of the sport. Some of the players of the Malaysian Super League are playing in their national teams, which increases the quality of the football in the country.
The Stars of the Next Generation
When it comes to the talents of the next generation, on the top of our list we have Goh Jin Wei, the famous badminton player. She was born in the year 2000 and started to play the most popular sport in the country at the age of seven.
Her talent was recognized by the famous coach Teh Beng Huat, who was at that moment also the coach of the nation’s number-one badminton star, no one other than Lee Chong Wei. Her first big win was at the age of eleven, after which she came on top of the BWF World Junior Championships of 2015 and 2018. At the senior level, she won the singles title in the women’s category at the 2017 SEA Games.
After her, we have the Malaysian swimmer Welson Sim, the first one from this category to qualify for men’s 400-meter freestyle at the Olympic games. He was born in 1997 and managed to overcome childhood asthma and become a champion. It seems that nothing can stop this athlete when he is motivated enough, as he managed to compete at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games after overcoming an injury sustained in a motorcycle accident.
Next on the list, we have Julian Yee, a Malaysian figure skater who started to skate at the age of four. He was born in 1997 in the capital city of Kuala Lumpur. His preference for the sport came through the influence of his mother, who was the deputy president of the Ice-Skating Association of Malaysia. He entered the books of records by becoming the youngest-ever skater who won the Junior Men’s category at just 13 years and 10 months at the time.
This occurred in 2011, and the fun fact is that the previous record was held by his brother, Ryan Yee Zhi Jwen. He won numerous awards and represented Malaysia on many occasions. His biggest achievements are the gold medals at the Southeast Asian Games in 2017 and 2019.
Conclusion
Malaysia is a country of rich tradition and proud history. Sport is a major part of both these things, as people love watching it and participating in some of the most popular disciplines. Athletes are extremely popular and loved, and with the change of generations, some new talents will make the people in this country proud of their achievements.
Some of the rising stars are present in various disciplines such as badminton, swimming, and figure skating, and we can only hope that more of them will come to the big stage soon.