SEPANG: The National Sports Council (NSC) lauded the Malaysian contingent's performance at the Paris Paralympics despite falling short of their four-gold medal target.
NSC Director-General Abdul Rashid Yaakub said the athletes had done well by bringing home two golds, two silvers and one bronze.
"If we look at the (2020) Tokyo Paralympics up to now, the total number of medals remains the same at five. The target of four golds was set by the Malaysian Paralympic Council (MPC), and we supported it, but we did not achieve it.
"We accept that we fell short, but those who didn't win gold managed to win silver... even the silver medals are a significant achievement, and they have done their best to win gold.
"However, in the final moments, the gold slipped away to other countries through the last jump or the second or third throw," said Rashid upon arrival with the national contingent from Paris at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport yesterday.
The 30-athlete Malaysian contingent received a hero's welcome at the airport.
They were greeted by Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh and the ministry's secretary general, Dr Nagulendran Kangayatkarasu.
Also present were the athletes' families and about 200 local sports fans who had been waiting since 8pm.
Yeoh presented commemorative plaques to all 30 athletes who represented Malaysia at the Paris Paralympics, which concluded last Monday.
At the Paris Paralympics, Malaysia finished 42nd overall with two golds, two silvers and one bronze.
The two gold medals were won by para badminton player Cheah Like Hou in the men's singles SU5 (physical impairment) event and powerlifter Bonnie Bunyau Gustin who dominated the men's 72kg category.
The silver medals came from Datuk Abdul Latif Romly in the men's T20 long jump (intellectual impairment) and Ziyad Zolkefli in the men's F20 shot put (intellectual impairment).
The bronze medal was won by Eddy Bernard in the men's 100m T44 (physical impairment) event.