Malaysia at the 2016 Summer Olympics | |
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IOC code | MAS |
NOC | Olympic Council of Malaysia |
Website | www |
in Rio de Janeiro | |
Competitors | 32 in 10 sports |
Flag bearer | Lee Chong Wei[1] |
Medals Ranked 60th |
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Summer Olympics appearances (overview) | |
Other related appearances | |
North Borneo (1956) |
Malaysia competed at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from 5 to 21 August 2016. This was the nation's fifteenth appearance at the Olympics, although it had previously competed in two other editions under the name Malaya. Tan Sri Mohamed Al-Amin Abdul Majid was the chef de mission of the national delegation at the Games.[2]
The Olympic Council of Malaysia fielded a team of 32 athletes, 17 men and 15 women, across ten sports at the Games, matching its largest team ever from Beijing eight years earlier.[3] Among the sports represented by the nation's athletes, Malaysia made its Olympic debut in golf (new to the 2016 Games), as well as its return to weightlifting after an eight-year absence. Badminton had the largest team by sport with eight athletes, a quarter of the nation's full roster.
The Malaysian team featured two Olympic medalists from London, including platform diver Pandelela Rinong, who became the first female from her country to stand on the podium, and badminton superstar Lee Chong Wei, who sought redemption for the nation's first ever gold after losing two previous finals to China's Lin Dan in the men's singles.[4] Appearing in his fourth Olympics as the most experienced athlete, Lee was selected to lead his contingent as the flag bearer in the opening ceremony.[1][5] Apart from the medalists, eleven Malaysian athletes previously competed in London, including track cyclist Azizulhasni Awang, and badminton tandem Chan Peng Soon and Goh Liu Ying.[6]
Malaysia left Rio de Janeiro with a total of five medals (four silver and one bronze), signifying its most successful outcome in Olympic history and doubling the previous highest medal tallies set at Atlanta 1996 and London 2012.[7] Among the nation's medalists were Awang, who became the first track cyclist from Southeast Asia to stand on the Olympic podium, and Pandelela, who upgraded her individual bronze from London to share a silver with her partner Cheong Jun Hoong in the synchronised platform diving. Badminton superstar Lee managed to claim a silver for the third consecutive time in the men's singles, adding it to those won by Goh V Shem and Tan Wee Kiong in the men's doubles, and Chan and Goh in the mixed doubles.[7][8]