Ziyad to lead by example

WORLD champion Ziyad Zulkifli is proud to be given the honour of carrying the flag for the national contingent at the Asean Para Games which begins in Naypyitaw, Myanmar on Tuesday with Malaysia targeted to win 50 gold medals.

Malaysia's 151 athletes will compete in 11 of the 12 sports at the week-long Games ending on Jan 20 with athletics expected to contribute the bulk (32) of the gold medals.

Ziyad is aiming to defend the two gold medals in shot put and discus he won in Solo in 2011 though he admitted the pressure on the athletics squad to deliver will be high.

"Our aim is to get 50 gold medals and most of it will have to come from athletics," said the 2013 IPC World Championships shot put gold medallist after being handed the Jalur Gemilang by chef-de-mission Datuk Zakaria Musa, who received the flag from Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin in Putrajaya yesterday.

"So that puts a lot of pressure on us to deliver but from what I have seen from my fellow athletes in training and the commitment they have shown, I believe we can do it."

Ziyad, who is recovering from a troublesome knee injury picked up two months ago, said the extra burden on him as flag-bearer and gold medal hopeful is one he has gone through before.

"This is not the first time I have been chosen as flag-bearer. I also carried the flag at the London Paralympics (in 2012)," said Ziyad who won bronze in the shot put then.

Khairy said he hoped the country's tradition as one of the better countries in the Asean Para Games would continue in Naypyitaw.

"The target of 50 gold medals was set after careful evaluation of the athletes' performances and just as our able-bodied athletes exceeded their target of 40 gold medals to win 43 at the Sea Games, I hope our para athletes can also exceed their target," said Khairy.

Earlier in his speech, Khairy said the national para athletes will soon have a home of their own to train and compete in when the Kampung Pandan Para Sports Centre is completed.

"I have been informed that the contractors will hand over the centre to the ministry soon," said Khairy. "It will be your home and you will not have to share it with anyone.

"I hope that you continue to excel and achieve success year after year."

The flag-handing ceremony was also witnessed by Malaysian Paralympic Council patron Tun Jeanne Abdullah and former Prime Minister Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin with the athletes at the flag-handing ceremony in Putrajaya yesterday. Also present were Malaysian Paralympic Council patron Tun Jeanne Abdullah and former Prime Minister Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi. Pic by Osman Adnan

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