PARIS: Malaysian chef de mission Datuk R. Subramaniam has called for a radical overhaul of the country's Paralympic sports system after the national contingent failed to hit their four-gold target at the Paris Paralympics.
Taking full responsibility for the underwhelming performance at the Games, which ended on Sunday, Subramaniam said Malaysia had to settle for two golds, two silvers, and one bronze, highlighting that some athletes may have underestimated their rivals.
"We were confident enough to set a target of four golds based on our assessments before Paris 2024," he explained.
"However, we misjudged the competition. Our athletes gave their all, but their opponents were simply stronger," he told reporters outside the Games Village.
He pointed to long jump star Abdul Latif Romly, who looked set to claim his third straight gold in the T2 (intellectual impairment) category after leaping 7.45m.
However, Matvei Iakushev, competing under the Neutral Paralympic Athletes (NPA) banner, snatched the title with a final jump of 7.51m.
Subramaniam also referenced shot put star Ziyad Zolkefli, who had to settle for silver after Ukrainian Oleksandr Yarovyi bested him in the F20 (intellectual impairment) category.
"Perhaps we underestimated how much their competitors have improved. We need to know our opponents better if we want to succeed at this level," he admitted.
Malaysia's two golds came courtesy of para shuttler Cheah Liek Hou in the men's singles SU5 (physical impairment) and powerlifting star Bonnie Bunyau Gustin in the men's 72kg.
Sprinter Eddy Bernard added a bronze in the men's 100m T44 (physical impairment) event.
Subramaniam, who also serves as the Malaysian Paralympic Council secretary-general, stressed that a comprehensive revamp is necessary, urging a reassessment of the country's sports ecosystem to foster success from the grassroots.
"Other nations are ramping up their investments in Paralympic sports. We cannot rest on our laurels and expect to keep winning. It's time for drastic changes to ensure future success," he said, calling for collaboration between the National Sports Council, national sports associations, and para-athletes.
Malaysia fell short of its previous gold medal tally of three at both the Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games, indicating the need for immediate action to prevent further decline. - Bernama