Cover Photo: World Archery
Photo: World Archery
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It’s full throttle ahead for Malaysia’s best-in-class para-athletes as they take on the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games
The main Games may have ended, but this is only the beginning for the para-athletes who will be representing Malaysia at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics.
Set to take place from August 24 to September 5, the Paralympic Games is a periodic series of international multi-sport events involving athletes with a range of disabilities, including impaired muscle power (paraplegia and quadriplegia, muscular dystrophy, post-polio syndrome, spina bifida), impaired passive range of movement, limb deficiency (amputation or dysmelia), leg length difference, short stature, hypertonia, ataxia, athetosis, vision impairment, and intellectual impairment.
Read more: Tokyo Olympics: Malaysia's Athletes Open Up About Competing During A Pandemic
Malaysia made its Paralympic Games debut at the 1972 Summer Paralympics in Heidelberg, with a delegation of three athletes, all of whom competed in both track and field, and weightlifting. To date, Malaysia has bagged a total of 11 medals at the Paralympic Games so far: three gold, two silver, and six bronze.
In 2016, three Malaysian para-athletes made history when they brought home the country’s first taste of gold (times three) from the Rio Paralympic Games. The gold medallists were Mohamad Ridzuan Mohamad Puzi (cerebral palsy) for the T36 100m sprint, Muhammad Ziyad Zolkefli (learning disabilities) for the T20 shot put, and Abdul Latif Romly (learning disabilities) for the T20 long jump.
See also: All The Olympic Medals Malaysia Has Ever Won
This edition of the Paralympic Games will see 22 extraordinary Malaysian athletes in nine different sports going up against 167 countries–the most countries in the history of the Games. Out of the 22 Malaysian athletes, 18 are male athletes and five are wheelchair athletes. All eyes are on the medal prospects: para-athletics, archery, powerlifting, badminton, cycling, and swimming.
Get to know the Malaysian contingent who will be vying for a chance to showcase the Jalur Gemilang at their respective events:
1. Archery
Who: Wiro Julin
Event: Men's individual compound open
Achievement:
- Silver medallist, 2019 Asian Para Archery Championships
Above Photo: World Archery
Photo: World Archery
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Who: Suresh Selvathamby
Event: Men's individual recurve
Achievements:
- Gold medallist, 2019 World Para Archery Championships
- First world champion in para-archery when he won the men’s para recurve gold medal
- Reigning world champion
2. Athletics
Who: Mohamad Ridzuan Mohamad Puzi
Event: Men's 100m sprint T36
Achievements:
- Triple medalist (one gold, two silver), 2014 Asian Para Games
- Gold medallist, 2015 IPC Athletics World Championships
- Gold medallist, 2016 Rio Paralympic Games
- Silver medallist, 2017 World Para Athletics Championships
- Gold medallist, 2018 Asian Para Games
- World record holder (11.87s)
Read more: Welson Sim: 5 Fun Facts About Malaysia’s National Swimmer
Who: Abdul Latif Romly
Event: Men's long jump T20
Achievements:
- Gold medallist, 2014 Asian Para Games
- Gold medallist, 2015 Asean Para Games
- Gold medallist, 2015 IPC Athletics World Championships
- Gold medallist, 2016 Rio Paralympic Games
- Gold medallist, 2017 World Para Athletics Championships
- Gold medallist, 2018 Asian Para Games
- T20 long jump world record holder (7.64m)
Who: Muhammad Ziyad Zokefli
Event: Men's shot put F20
Achievements:
- Bronze medallist, 2012 London Paralympic Games
- Gold medallist, 2013 IPS Athletics World Championships
- Gold medallist, 2014 Asian Para Games
- Bronze medallist, 2015 IPC Athletics World Championships
- Gold medallist, 2016 Rio Paralympic Games
- Bronze medallist, 2017 Southeast Asian Games
- Gold medallist, 2017 World Para Athletics Championships
- Gold medallist, 2018 Asian Para Games
- Silver medallist, 2019 Southeast Asian Games
- World record holder (17.29m)
Who: Wong Kar Gee
Event: Men's long jump T12
Achievements:
- Silver medallist, 2019 World Para Athletics Championships
- Silver medallist, 2018 Asian Para Games
Who: Siti Noor Iasah Mohamad Ariffin
Event: Women's 400m sprint T20
Achievements:
- Gold medallist, 2018 Asian Para Games
3. Badminton
Who: Cheah Liek Hou
Event: Men's singles SU5
Achievements:
- 11-time winner (both singles and doubles events) of the Para-Badminton World Championships
- Six-time world champion
- Currently ranked world number two
See also: Tokyo 2020: Aaron Chia & Soh Wooi Yik Bring It Home
Who: Didin Terasoh
Event: Men's singles SU6
Achievements:
- Winner, 2015 BWF Para-Badminton World Championship
- Winner, 2016 Asian Para Championships
- Winner, 2016 Para Open
- Gold medallist, 2017 Asean Para Games
4. Boccia
TAHUKAH ANDA ?
— MSN MALAYSIA (@MSNMALAYSIA) May 9, 2021
Chew Wei Lun atlet para (Sukan Boccia dalam acara Mixed Individual BC 1) berusia 26 tahun. Mula masuk ke dalam Program Podium MSN pada Januari 2019.#KontinjenMALAYSIA#DemiMalaysia#KamiLuarBiasa#Paralympics2020 pic.twitter.com/Tx2DTwPqvQ
Who: Chew Wei Lun
Event: Men's individual BC1
Achievements:
- Bronze medallist, 2017 Asean Para Games
- Bronze medallist, 2019 BISFed Regional Open
- Bronze medallist, 2019 BISFed Regional Open
5. Cycling
Who: Mohamad Yusof Hafizi Shaharuddi
Events: Men's individual 3km track individual pursuit, road time trial, road race, and mixed team track sprint
Achievements:
- Gold medallist, 2019 Asian Track Cycling Championships
- Bronze medallist, 2020 UCI Para-cycling Track World Championships
12. Muhammad Hafiz Jamali: men's 1km track time trial and mixed team track sprint.
Sukan Para Asia 2018 - TAHNIAH!!! Pelumba negara, Zuhairie Ahmad Tarmizi menyumbang pingat EMAS 🥇 ketiga Kontinjen Malaysia dalam acara berbasikal lebuhraya (C5). #TeamMAS 🇲🇾 #MalaysiaBoleh #KamiLuarBiasa #SpiritInMotion pic.twitter.com/uinf0I3hH3
— TEAM #MAS 🇲🇾🏅🏆 (@myTeamMAS) October 9, 2018
Who: Zuhairie Ahmad Tarmizi
Events: Men's 1km track time trial and mixed team track sprint
Achievements:
- Gold medallist, 2018 Asian Para Games
- First Malaysian male cyclist to win a gold medal at the Asian Para Games
- Two-time medallist, 2019 Asian Track Cycling Championships
See also: Tokyo Olympics 2020: Azizulhasni Awang, The Perfect Silver Storm
Who: Nur Azlia Syafinaz Mohd Zais
Events: Women's individual road time trial and road race
Achievements:
- Three-time medallist (gold), 2018 Asian Para-cycling Championships
Who: Nurul Suhada Zainal
Events: Women's individual road time trial and road race
Achievements:
- Winner, 2015 Malaysia National Championships
- Silver medallist, 2018 Asian Para-Cycling Championships
- Gold medallist, 2018 Asian Para Games
6. Powerlifting
Who: Jong Yee Khie
Event: Men's above 107kg
Achievements:
- Bronze medallist, 2014 Commonwealth Games
- Silver medallist, 2021 Para Powerlifting World Cup
Who: Bonnie Bunyau Gustin
Event: Men's above 72kg
Achievements:
- Gold medallist, 2021 World Para Powerlifting World Cup
- World record holder (230kg)
- Number one ranked para lifter in his category
7. Swimming
Brenda Anellia Larry sasar layak ke peringkat akhir dan ingin memecahkan rekod peribadi beliau di Paralimpik Tokyo 2020. pic.twitter.com/jYlrbqkmiZ
— ASTRO ARENA (@ASTROARENA) August 18, 2021
Who: Brenda Anellia Larry
Event: Women's 50m backstroke S4
Achievements:
- First Malaysian para swimmer to beat the qualifying mark for the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games
Read more: Tokyo Olympics 2020: Pandelela Rinong, We’ll Always Have Your Back
Who: Muhammad Nur Syaiful Zulkifli
Events: Men's 50m, 100m, 200m freestyle S5, and 100m breaststroke SB4
Achievements:
- Gold medallist, 2018 Asian Para Games
Who: Jamery Siga
Event: Men's 50m butterfly S5
Achievements:
- Three-time medallist (one gold, one silver, one bronze), 2017 Asean Para Games
8. Table Tennis
Who: Chee Chaoming
Event: Men's individual - class 9
Achievements:
- Gold medallist, 2019 Copa Tango
- Gold medallist, 2019 Asian Para Games
9. Wheelchair Tennis
Who: Abu Samah Borhan
Event: Men's singles
Achievements:
- Winner, 2020 Eureka Cup
- Gold medallist, 2017 Asean Para Games
- Silver medallist, 2017 Asean Para Games
See also: Tokyo Olympics 2020: Nur Dhabitah Sabri, The Girl With The OIympic Smile
To watch the Paralympics Games in Malaysia, tune in to:
Live Television Broadcast
- Radio Televisyen Malaysia (RTM): TV1, TV2, TV Okey and RTM Sports Channels, RTM sports on Channel 111 (HD)
- Astro: Astro Arena Channels (802 HD & 801), Olympic Special Channels (785, 786, 787, 788, 789, 790, 791, 792, 793, 794)
- Unifi: UnifiSports Channels 1 to 13
Live Online Streaming
Lainey was the Digital Director of Tatler Malaysia. When not whiling away the hours watching documentaries, the latest K-drama, or reruns of Friends, she can be found indulging her wanderlust by stalking travel platforms or feeding her obsession with music. She loves animals, running, all things social media, a good conversation over coffee or soju or wine (often rambling on if nobody pulls the brakes on her), and is an avid fan of bursting-at-the-seams laughter.
