KUALA LUMPUR – The Paralympic Council of Malaysia views boccia as a sport that is able to contribute to its four-gold medal target at the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris, from August 28 to September 8.
President Datuk Seri Megat D. Shahriman Zaharudin said that other sports that could potentially contribute gold medals include athletics, powerlifting and badminton.
“Which athlete is targeted for winning the gold, we will not reveal yet. We will announce it officially after the selection committee meeting,” he told reporters after the launch of the 50 Days Countdown Paris 2024 Paralympic Games event, here today.
During the launch, he announced that every athlete who qualified for this year’s Paralympics would receive a massage chair and other items while medal winners would receive cash incentives from sponsor Zero Healthcare.
Megat was reported to have said in March that the council intended to create history by targeting four gold medals in Paris to achieve the mission of winning Malaysia’s 10th gold medal since its participation in the Paralympics began.
The national contingent has won six gold medals to date throughout their participation in the Paralympics, three each in 2016 and in 2020. Boccia has yet to contribute a gold medal, with Chew Wei Lun coming close by winning a silver in 2020, when he lost to David Smith of Great Britian 2-4 in the BC1 (physical disability) final.
Meanwhile, Paralympics national contingent chef-de-mission Datuk R. Subramaniam said that another four athletes – three from powerlifting and one from para-cycling – are expected to join the 25 others who qualified for Paris.
An official announcement would be made after the selection committee meeting next week, he added. – July 9, 2024