Proud winners: The national para athletes arriving at Terminal 1 of the Kuala Lumpur International Airport from the Asian Para Games in Hangzhou, China. — GLENN GUAN/The Star
PETALING JAYA: A smaller squad with quite a reasonable accomplishment.
That can probably sum up the performance of Malaysia as they won seven golds, 15 silvers and 17 bronze medals to finish 12th out of 35 countries in the just concluded six-day Asian Para Games in Hangzhou, China.
The 118-member contingent returned home last night with a total of 39 medals. They did not only surpass the 35-medal target but some of the athletes broke the Games records in swimming, athletics and powerlifting.
Swimmer Nor Syaiful Zulkafli broke the Games record en route to delivering the first gold for Malaysia in the SB4 100m breaststroke event.
Suraiya Zamri and her pilot Farina Shawati Adnan then powered their way to finish first in the women’s (B) 1km time trial event.
Reigning world and Paralympic champion Bonnie Bunyau Gustin broke the Games record to claim his first gold medal in the men’s below 72kg category.
In track and field athletics, Abdul Latif Romly and Ziyad Zolkefli successfully defended their supremacy in the men’s long jump and shot putt categories, both securing qualification for the Paris Paralympics next year.
Good job: The athletes (clockwise from right) Abdul Latif Romly, Ziyad Zolkefli and cyclists Suraya Zamri (second from left) and her pilot Farina Shawati Adnan. — GLENN GUAN/The Star
Ammar Aiman Nor Azmi was the shining star as he set a new Asian record of 47.60s in the men’s T20 400m event to claim gold on his debut.
Boccia contributed the seventh and last gold with Noor Askuzaimey Mat Salim coming out tops in the women’s BC4 event.
Chef de mission K.M. Rajendran expressed satisfaction with the overall performance of the contingent, especially with nearly half comprising new faces.
“We only took part in 14 out of the 22 sports in the Games. Our athletes were involved in 104 of the total of 564 medal events, so I believed we should appreciate their efforts,” he said.
“We won big in cycling (1-6-4) and athletics (3-2-4). Several athletes set Asian records and I think we are on the right track for the Paris Paralympics next year.
“Ammar is a future star as he shattered the meet and Asian records.
“There was disappointment as veteran Ridzuan Puzi was disqualified for a false start (in the men’s T36 100m final). He could have won a medal otherwise,” said Rajendran, who hoped the decision makers would continue to boost the para development programmes.
China topped the standings with a medal haul of 214-164-140 while Iran came in second (44-46-41) and Japan third (42-49-59).
India also celebrated their best ever achievement in the Games with 111 medals for fifth place (29-31-51) while Indonesia were the best performing Asean nation at sixth spot with 95 medals (29-30-36).
