KUALA LUMPUR: Datuk Dr Pekan Ramli is confident the national contingent will be able to at least equal the three gold medal haul they achieved over the past two editions at the Paris Paralympics but is concerned with the lack of top talent coming through the ranks.
The sports analyst said he would not be surprised if Malaysia is able to win four gold, which is the target that has been set by the Malaysia Paralympic Council, in Paris if Malaysia's top athletes are able to perform on the day.
At Tokyo 2020, Malaysia had won three gold through Latif Romly in the men's long jump T20 (intellectual impairment), Bonnie Bunyau Gustin in the men's under-72kg powerlifting category as well as shuttler Cheah Liek Hou in the men's single's SU5 (physical impairment).
"I don't think we should face too much difficulty to at least maintain that three gold medal mark which we achieved at Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020," said Pekan when contacted today.
"With Latif, Liek Hou, Bonnie and Ziyad Zolkefli in the contingent we should at least be able to get three and if everything goes our way, we could win four.
"In badminton it may be a bit tricky, but for the others I still believe our athletes have the upper hand in their respective categories.
"Ziyad should be especially hungry to make up for what happened during Tokyo."
Malaysia would have won four gold in Tokyo if not for Ziyad's disqualification in the men's shot put F20 (intellectual impairment) final.
Ziyad had turned up three minutes late to the athletes' call room prior to his event. He was allowed to compete under protest and went on to win.
His protest was, however, rejected after the competition ended and he was subsequently disqualified.
Ziyad, however, proved he remains the man to beat after claiming his third world title at the Kobe World Championships in May.
Pekan is, however, concerned that Malaysia has been relying on roughly the same athletes to challenge for medals over the years.
"While there have been newer, younger athletes coming into the picture, we have mostly been depending on the same faces to win the medals over the past three or four editions of the Paralympics," said Pekan.
"I have no issues with these athletes as they have earned their right to be where they are, but are we going to keep depending on them until they make their fifth or sixth appearance at the games?
"I am hoping that we will be able to produce new athletes who will be able to challenge for gold in Los Angeles 2028."
Ziyad, 34, and Liek Hou, 36, are fast approaching the tail end of their careers though Latif, 27, and Bonnie, 25, should have a few more Paralympic cycles in them.
Latif, who won gold at both Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020, is the most successful Malaysian athlete in the history of the games.
Malaysia won three gold and two silver in total at Tokyo 2020 which was a marginal improvement over the three gold and one bronze won at Rio 2016.
At London 2012, Malaysia won one silver and one bronze.