KUALA LUMPUR: The Sports Ministry will provide assistance to amputee student Muhammad Aqil Naufal Zahiran, 11, whose performance during the Jerantut district Special Education Athletics Championships recently went viral.
Aqil, running with two conventional crutches, finished last in his 100m race but his spirited display won the hearts of the public.
His left leg was amputated in 2015 due to a bacterial infection.
Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh praised the fighting spirit showed by Aqil and vowed to help him participate in more sporting activities in the future.
The ministry, via the National Sports Institute, have arranged for Aqil and his family to meet with a prosthetics specialist this week.
"I saw the effort Aqil made to finish his race, this is the mentality of a champion," said Yeoh in a statement released today.
"There are no excuses for not competing, he proved this and gave it his best despite his condition.
"This is the kind of mentality we need, as is encouraged in the Road to Gold initiative.
"We will do our best to help him be the best he can be."
Aqil is a student at SK Felda Lepar Utara 1 under the Fully Inclusive Eduction Programme.