KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysia Xiang Qi Association made a surprise announcement yesterday when it offered a RM50,000 incentive to its athletes who win gold medals at the 2023 SEA Games in Cambodia which will be held from May 5 to 17.
Team manager Seck Kin Wai said the reward is an effort to motivate the athletes consisting of four men and two women who will participate in all four events on offer .
He said the incentive also showed the association’s seriousness in hunting for its first gold at the biennial games after only bringing home two silver and three bronze medals in the last edition in Hanoi, Vietnam.
“At least RM50,000 was promised by the management of the association to the athletes who manage to get gold because we really want a gold medal at the SEA Games,” he said at a press conference at the National Sports Council (MSN), Bukit Jalil here.
He said the target set was two silvers each in the Women’s Standard Single and Men’s Blitz Team events and one bronze through the Men’s Rapid Team, but it was not impossible that the glitter of gold could be realised based on the current performance of the athletes.
Meanwhile, team captain Russel Sim, who will compete in the Men’s Standard Single and Men’s Blitz Team events with Yeoh Thean Jern, has high hopes of winning the country’s first gold in Xiang Qi.
He said he has the desire to make history as the country’s first Xiang Qi athlete to win a gold medal at the SEA Games.
“I hope that as team leader I can contribute a gold medal first and be an inspiration to my teammates to also achieve success,” said the 39-year-old Kuching-born athlete.
At the last edition, Russel, who is also an Xiang Qi International Master, together with Thean Jern won the Men’s Rapid Team silver.
The other silver in Hanoi was contributed by Jee Xin Ru in the Women’s Standard Single while the three bronzes were secured by Tan Yu Huat and Fang Sze Fei in the Men’s Standard Single and the pair of Sze Jie and Thean Jern (Men’s Blitz Team).
For the record, Xiang Qi is the official name for Chinese chess. – BERNAMA
