Who Between Malaysia and Philippines Can Finally End Their Gold Medal Droughts at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics?

(Photo : Kiyoshi Ota/Getty Images) TAKASAKI, JAPAN - JUNE 06: Carlos Edriel Yulo of the Philippines reacts after competing in the Men's Parallel Bars final on day two of the 75th All Japan Artistic Gymnastics Apparatus Championships at the Takasaki Arena on June 6, 2021 in Takasaki, Gunma, Japan.

Two Southeast Asian nations have come so close to winning it all in the Summer Games, with Malaysia and the Philippines combining for 21 medals won in the previous editions of the Olympics. Unfortunately for both countries, all of those were silvers and bronzes as they have yet to grab that elusive gold medal in the Olympics.

The question now is: Can they finally end their respective gold medal droughts this year? Let's take a look at the main medal hopefuls for the Philippines and Malaysia for the Tokyo Olympics and who among their athletes are primed to capture the coveted gold this year.

Malaysia hungry for success

Malaysia ranks first among countries with the most Olympic medals won, except for a gold. Malaysia has won 11 Olympic medals, composed of seven silvers and four bronzes, since they started competing in the Summer Games back in Melbourne in 1956.

Malaysia came so close to breaking that gold medal duck in the previous three editions of the Olympics but badminton legend Datuk Lee Chong Wei failed at the final hurdle, settling for silvers at Beijing 2008, London 2012, and Rio 2016 in the men's singles event.

For the Tokyo Games, Malaysia again will be pinning its hopes on badminton as the sport that will finally end its search for the Olympic gold medal. Apart from Lee Chong Wei, badminton yielded two other silvers for Malaysia in Rio 2016, with Chan Peng Soon and Goh Liu Ying (mixed doubles) and Goh V Shem and Tan Wee Kiong (men's doubles) finishing second in their respective events.

All eyes will be on Lee Zii Jia to end Malaysia's gold medal drought in Tokyo. This year, he has already proven his title credentials, beating world number one Kento Momota and defending champion Viktor Axelsen, en route to capturing the prestigious All England title in March.

Another Malaysian athlete who has a great chance of winning gold in Tokyo is Pandelela Rinong-Cheong Jun Hoong. The Olympic silver medalist is in excellent form, having won the Diving World Cup in the women's 10-meter platform individual final at the Tokyo Aquatic Centre back in May.

The Philippines primed for gold medal glory

Following Malaysia in the list of countries with the most medals won in the Olympics except for gold is the Philippines. The Filipinos have won 10 medals since joining the Summer Games back in 1924, bagging three silvers and seven bronzes.

However, there is growing optimism among Filipino sports fans that this will finally be the year that the Philippines win a gold medal in the Olympics. Out of the 19 athletes representing the Philippines in this year's Summer Games, two are world champions in their respective sports, and one is a reigning Olympic silver medalist.

The best chance for gold rests on Filipino gymnast Carlos Yulo who won gold in the floor exercise of the 2019 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships. He was ranked first in the world in the floor exercise at the end of 2020 and currently sits third in the latest International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) world rankings for this event.

Yuka Saso is another athlete who is gunning for gold in Tokyo. Saso stunned golf fans everywhere with her victory at this year's US Women's Open, becoming the first golfer from the Philippines to win a major title.

After winning silver in the 2016 Rio Olympics, Hidylyn Diaz will look to go one step further and capture the gold in weightlifting in the women's 55-kilogram division in the Tokyo Olympics. She was ranked no. 1 in the world in that division last year.