Milo, Malaysia’s favourite nutritious beverage, celebrated and honoured the nation’s Olympic and Paralympic heroes for their sporting journey with a contribution of over RM500,000.
Each of the 56 athletes who represented Malaysia at the 2024 Paris Olympic and Paralympic Games received RM10,000 from Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh.
Yeoh thanked Milo for their initiative in supporting the country’s national athletes.
The handover ceremony was held at Aurum Theatre, The Exchange, TRX in Kuala Lumpur on Oct 1, 2024.
“This commitment goes beyond just sponsorship, it is about building a sporting culture from the ground up. It demonstrates the crucial role that private sector support plays in the development of Malaysian sports,” she said.
Nestlé Malaysia chief executive officer Juan Aranols said they are delighted to celebrate the remarkable achievements of the 56 Olympians and Paralympians who represented Malaysia in Paris.
“Their dedication to sport embodies the values that Milo has championed for over 70 years. The journey of these athletes, from their early days in school sports to representing Malaysia on the global stage, is a testament to the power of perseverance and dedication.
“Many of these athletes have their roots in Milo programmes such as the Milo-MSSM national school sports competition over the years.
“We are honoured to have played a part in their sporting journey and hope this contribution provided today will fuel their continued pursuit of excellence going forward,” he said.
The event highlighted the inspirational stories of the athletes, several of whom participated in MILO-MSSM school sports competition which has benefitted millions of school children over the past 60 years. The programme is a springboard for nurturing budding athletes and embodying Milo’s philosophy that ‘Sports is a Great Teacher’.
National diver Bertrand Rhodict, 19, from Sarawak, who represented Malaysia for his first Olympics was elated about the contribution from Milo.
“It has only been my first year to represent Malaysia in the Olympic Games, and receiving this contribution has been a huge encouragement for me to keep working harder for the next Olympics and make the country proud. This incentive will also help me as I start my college studies next year,” he said.
Muhammad Imaan Aiman Muhammad Redzuan, aged 18, a Paralympic swimmer who also won the 2023 MOE-MSSM-MILO Award said, “I felt thankful for the support when I heard about the news of Milo’s incentive for all the athletes. This is a very encouraging message to all of the para-athletes in Malaysia to work hard and never give up on pursuing their dreams in sports.”
The contribution to Malaysia’s Olympians and Paralympians is part of Milo’s ongoing commitment to nurturing sporting talent in the nation, spanning from grassroots programmes to supporting athletes at international events.
