Athletes Eye Surpassing Previous Games' Haul

From Karina Imran INCHEON, Oct 16 (Bernama) -- Malaysia's 2014 Asian Para Games' chef-de-mission Ab Jalil Abdullah is positive more medals can be delivered at the Incheon edition this year. Malaysian paralympic athletes were well-equipped to surpass the previous achievement of nine gold medals at the Guangzhou 2010 Asian Para Games, he said without disclosing the exact medal targets. "The athletes are more motivated and are passionate to win their respective events. They train daily, even under the cold weather condition here," he told Bernama. Besides the nine gold medals, Malaysia clinched 13 silver and 23 bronze medals to finish sixth overall in Guangzhou. More than 6,000 paralympic athletes from 41 Asian countries are taking part in the Oct 18 to 24 event. A total of 23 sports encompassing 443 specific events will be contested, and Malaysia's 135 athletes with disability are taking part in 15 sports. They include badminton, cycling, boccia, lawn bowl, archery, athletics, sailing, table tennis, powerlifting and swimming. Others are bowling, wheelchair basketball, wheelchair fencing, wheelchair tennis and wheelchair rugby. The 2014 Asian Para Games is themed 'A Wave of Passion, Now Begins'. -- BERNAMA