Six Gold Medals Reflect Extraordinary Fighting Spirit of National Para Athletes
PETALING JAYA: The sacrifices, resilience and determination of Malaysia’s para athletes paid off as the national contingent achieved its target of six gold medals at the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Para Games in Japan.
Youth and Sports Minister Dr Mohammed Taufiq Johari described the achievement of six gold, eight silver and 13 bronze medals as a proud moment, demonstrating the dedication of Malaysian athletes in bringing honour to the country on the international stage.
He said witnessing the athletes’ struggles firsthand throughout the Games had given him a deeper appreciation of the tremendous sacrifices they made in pursuit of success.
“I am extremely proud. Our national para heroes and heroines concluded their Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Para Games campaign with six gold, eight silver and 13 bronze medals, successfully achieving the target of six gold medals,” he said in a social media post.
Among the proudest moments was Zuhairie Ahmad Tarmizi’s achievement in delivering Malaysia’s first gold medal in the men’s 1,000-metre C4-C5 track cycling time trial, while also breaking the Games record with a time of one minute and 4.882 seconds.
National powerlifting champion Bonnie Bunyau Gustin also demonstrated remarkable resilience by successfully defending his title in the 72-kilogramme category despite suffering a shoulder injury, lifting 225kg to secure victory.
Meanwhile, Datuk Abdul Latif Romly further strengthened his reputation by dominating the men’s T20 long jump with a distance of 7.39 metres, while Muhammad Nur Syaiful Zulkafli contributed another gold medal in the men’s 100m breaststroke SB4 swimming event.
In badminton, the men’s SU5 doubles pair of Cheah Liek Hou and Mohamad Faris Azri also secured gold, with Liek Hou continuing to compete despite suffering a thigh muscle tear.
Wong Kar Gee demonstrated extraordinary commitment by balancing his responsibilities as a part-time athlete, entrepreneur and PhD candidate before winning gold in the men’s T12 long jump.
Taufiq also praised the fighting spirit of Nur Azlia Syafinaz and Nurul Suhada Zainal, who recovered from a fall on the road and continued cycling to the finish line.
He also highlighted Carmen Lim’s achievement in ending a 12-year wait for a medal by securing bronze in the women’s 50m freestyle S8 swimming event.
The minister also expressed his appreciation to the coaches, medical teams, mechanics, loaders, officials and athletes’ families for their contributions throughout the campaign.
He further acknowledged the support provided by the Ministry of Youth and Sports (KBS), Paralympic Council of Malaysia (MPM), National Sports Council (MSN), National Sports Institute (ISN) and Anti-Doping Agency of Malaysia (ADAMAS).
UTUSAN MALAYSIA