SEPANG: Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh is confident that the national contingent will achieve the four gold medals targeted for the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games.
She remains optimistic that the athletes, especially those with previous Games experience, will deliver outstanding performances.
“We pray for this (four gold medals). For first-time athletes, I hope they will be calm and confident because the Paralympic Games present a unique challenge compared to other competitions,” she told reporters after the send-off ceremony for the national contingent at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) Terminal 1 today.
The Malaysian Paralympic Council (MPM) set a goal of securing four gold medals, which would bring Malaysia’s total Paralympic golds to 10 throughout its participation in the Games.
To date, Malaysia has won six Paralympic gold medals, with three earned at Rio 2016 and another three at Tokyo 2020.
Hannah also advised the national contingent to remain vigilant and protect their personal belongings throughout the Games.
“My concern is safety. Athletes must be cautious with their personal belongings like passports and wallets,“ she said.
Incidents during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games have raised safety concerns, including an attempted robbery involving two Australian TV crew members and an alleged sexual assault on an Australian woman, as reported by the media.
A total of 17 athletes and 17 officials departed for Paris from KLIA Terminal 1 today.
Malaysia is fielding 30 athletes across eight sports to compete at the Games, scheduled to take place from Aug 28 to Sept 8.
