Once more unto the breach we go
PETALING JAYA: It was the best of years for some Malaysian sporting heroes, but not for Malaysian sports as a whole, especially when we did not meet our medal tally target in SEA Games 2019.
Hopefully, Malaysian sports will see a banner year in 2020. These are the big games and events on our calendar:
Tokyo Olympics
Tokyo will be on the minds of everyone come July 24 to Aug 9. The Japanese capital will be hosting a Summer edition for the second time, its first having been 56 years ago.
Japan will be the first Asian country to host the Olympics twice and true to its reputation for efficiency, the venues have been completed well ahead of time.
The United States is the most successful nation when it comes to the Summer Olympics as it has won a total of 2,520 medals from 1896 to 2016. Russia trails in second place with 1,865, followed by Germany with 1,681.
However, Russia will be conspicuously absent from the Olympics as the nation has been sanctioned by the World Anti-Doping Agency for tampering with a Moscow laboratory database.
Malaysian sports fans will be praying for our Olympics gold drought to finally end in Tokyo. Only three sports – badminton, diving and cycling – have put our athletes on the Olympic podium so far.
Euro 2020
It will be a first for the European Football Championship or Euro 2020, as the tournament is scheduled to be held in 12 cities from June 12 to July 12.
Portugal is the defending champion, having won the 2016 edition. For the first time, the video assistant referee system will be used.
Former UEFA president Michel Platini said the tournament is being hosted in several nations as a “romantic” one-off event to celebrate the 60th “birthday” of the European Championship competition.
Having the largest capacity of any of the stadiums in the tourney, Wembley Stadium in London will host the semi-finals and finals for the second time, having done so before when England hosted the 1996 tournament.
The Stadio Olimpico in Rome will host the opening game involving Turkey and host Italy.
Thomas and Uber Cup Finals
After 38 years, the Thomas and Uber Cup Finals will return to European soil.
The 31st edition of the Thomas Cup badminton tournament will be hosted in Aarhus, Denmark, from May 16 to May 24.
It’s the first time that Denmark will host the Thomas Cup and the first time this event will be held in Europe since 1982 in England.
China is the defending men’s champion and Japan is the defending women’s champion.
Malaysia, spearheaded by youngsters Lee Zii Jia and All-England runners-up Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik, also has high hopes of making it to the Thomas Cup podium.
Malaysia’s last successful title run was when it hosted the prestigious meet in 1982 in Kuala Lumpur. The Malaysian team then beat Indonesia 3-2 in a thrilling final to lift the Thomas Cup for the fifth time.
Indonesia is the most successful nation, having won the Thomas Cup 13 times.
Tokyo Paralympics
As part of a formal agreement between the International Paralympic Committee and the International Olympic Committee inked in 2001, the winner of the bid for the 2020 Summer Olympics must also host the 2020 Summer Paralympics.
This year, it will be held in Tokyo from Aug 25 to Sept 6. This will mark the second time Tokyo has hosted the Paralympics, as the country previously hosted it there in 1964 alongside the 1964 Summer Olympics.
The Games will see the introduction of badminton and taekwondo to the Paralympics programme, replacing sailing and seven-a-side football.
Malaysia goes into the Tokyo Paralympics with a strong shot at winning gold medals in athletics and archery.
At the last Paralympics in Rio de Janeiro in 2016, Ridzuan Puzi, Abdul Latif Romly and Ziyad Zolkefli all made history for Malaysia by winning gold medals in athletics.
Copa America
Football fans have much to look forward to in summer. Besides Euro 2020, the 47th edition of the 2020 Copa America will take place in South America from June 12 to July 12.
Colombia and Argentina will be the host nations. This will mark the first time it will be hosted by more than one country since 1983, when it was played in a home-andaway basis, and the first time ever in two countries.
Starting from this edition, the tournament will be held every four years in evennumbered years, with the next edition taking place in 2024.
Brazil is the defending champion, having won its ninth title in 2019.
Estadio Monumental in Buenos Aires will host the opening match between Argentina and Chile on June 12.