Malaysian Supreme Head hopes nation's athletes will strike gold at Olympics

KUALA LUMPUR, April 29 (Xinhua) -- Malaysian Supreme Head Mizan Zainal Abidin Tuesday expressed the hope that the nation's athletes will create history by winning Malaysia's first Olympic gold medal at the Beijing Olympics this year.

Addressing the opening session of the 12th Parliament here on Tuesday, Mizan said the outstanding performance of several of the nation's athletes at international championships of sports such as squash, bodybuilding and bowling could serve as motivation for the national contingent at the Beijing Games.

The success of the athletes in these sports had also kindled the interest of the people in them, said Mizan, well-known for equestrian sports.

The Beijing Olympics are scheduled for Aug. 8 to 24.

Malaysia's best achievement at the Olympic Games was a silver medal through badminton doubles pair Cheah Soon Kit-Yap Kim Hock in Atlanta, United States in 1996.

Razif and Jailani Sidek won the bronze medal in the badminton doubles event in the Barcelona Olympic Games in 1992.