Council identifies 16 events for 2020 ASEAN Para Sports

KUALA LUMPUR: Sixteen types of sports have been identified for the Malaysian contingent’s participation at the ASEAN Para Games which will take place in Manila, Philippines next year.

National Sports Council (NSC) deputy director-general (strategic) Suhardi Alias said the 16 sports were archery, athletics, badminton, boccia, chess, football CP (Cerebral Palsy), cycling, net ball, weightlifting, sitting volleyball, swimming, table tennis, tenpin bowling, wheelchair basketball, triathlon and judo.

‘’We target participations in 370 of the 816 sports events to be contested at the 2020 ASEAN Para Games which will take place from Jan 18 to 25,’’ he told Bernama yesterday.

He was met after launching the gathering of Paralympics Programme Athletes and the KPJ Tawakkal Specialist Hospital (TSH) sponsorship ceremony at the Kampung Pandan Paralympic Games Excellence Centre here yesterday.

In the meantime, Suhardi said the first phase of training started in January last year and ended yesterday, aimed at identifying capable and qualified athletes, while phase two started yesterday until October.

He said phase two would be more focused on athletes’ performance enhancing programmes in terms of sports science, strategy and techniques.

‘’It also encompasses individual and team motivation, spiritual and strength programmes. A total 304 athletes are listed for the second phase and the number will be updated following current changes such as dropping of events and others,’’ he said.

In another development, he urged national paralympic athletes to continue to be enthused with their training even during the coming Ramadan.

At the event yesterday, KPJ TSH contributed two televisions and a water dispenser to the paralympic athletes who shone at sport festivals and brought glory to the country at the international level.