SHAH ALAM - Malaysia’s contingent missing the target of four gold medals at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games should not be seen as a significant failure.
Sports analyst Datuk Dr Pekan Ramli said the country's achievements deserved praise, especially when the Malaysian Paralympic Council (MPM) has set a realistic goal and encouraged para-athletes and officials to push themselves towards it.
"If we look at the target to bring home four gold medals and a double-digit total medal count, we might say that the target was not met.
"However, it is not a significant failure. We still returned with two golds, two silvers and a bronze. One of our para-weightlifters even broke a world record.
"MPM could have set a safer target at the Paris Paralympics with just two gold medals, considering many of our para-athletes are ageing.
"In the end, we achieved more than the set target," he said.
The national contingent secured two gold medals through para badminton champion Cheah Liek Hou in the SU5 men's singles event (physical impairment) and national powerlifting star Bonnie Bunyau Gustin.
However, the hope of winning gold in two other events—through athletics champion Datuk Abdul Latif Romly in the men's T20 long jump (intellectual impairment) and Muhammad Ziyad Zolkefli in the men's F20 shot put (intellectual impairment) were dashed when they won silver instead.
Commenting on Abdul Latif and Ziyad not securing gold, Pekan said it was not due to a drop in their performance.
"It is because new challengers have emerged who are better than our para-athletes. They will almost certainly be waiting at the Los Angeles 2028 Paralympics.
"Therefore, we need to look forward and recognise that after several Paralympic cycles, it becomes increasingly difficult for athletes to win or defend a championship title as they grow older.
"It might be difficult to find replacements for Datuk Latif or Ziyad in their respective events, but the talents of our current para-athletes must be refined, funded and fully supported so that we do not miss out on gold at the LA 2028 Paralympics," he added.