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M'sia's Paralympics squad ready to surprise at Rio

National Paralympics head coach R Jaganathan is happy with the fitness level and preparations of athletes under his charge for the Rio de Janeiro Paralympics which starts tomorrow in Rio.

"A number of athletes have shown positive improvement in their performance. Some have improved their personal best times and that is a good sign. I am pleased and confident of their capabilities," said Jaganathan in the National Sports Council (NSC) Facebook page today.

Jaganathan said he was not worried about athletes and coaches from other countries who had watched and observed Malaysian athletes going about their training session in Rio.

"It can serve as a motivation to our athletes because they are in the eyes of the world," he said.

Jaganathan, the former coach of National long distance ace M Ramachandran, who has won multiple gold medals in the Sea Games, also expressed hope that Mohamad Ridzuan Mohamad Puzi and Siti Noor Iasah Mohamad Ariffin would be able to rise to the occasion in Rio, and spring a surprise or two.

Sprinter Mohamad Ridzuan, 29, ranked world number two in the International Paralympic Council's (IPC) ranking list would see action in the men's 100m of the T36 (cerebral palsy) on Sept 10 and later feature in the long jump on Sept 12 while Siti Noor Iasah, 27, ranked third in the IPC ranking list, competes in the women's 400m of the T20 (intellectual disability) on Sept 12.

Apart from Mohd Ridzuan and Siti Noor Iasah, Abdul Latif Romly (men's long jump T20), H Krishna Kumar (men's 400m T38), Mohd Nasharuddin Mohamad (men's 400m T20), Mohamad Faizal Aideal Suhaimi (men's 100m T12), Siti Noor Radiah Ismail (women's long jump T20) and Amir Firdaus Jamaluddin (men's long jump T38) will see action in the Rio Paralympics.

In the field events, 2012 London Paralympics bronze medal winner Muhammad Ziyad Zolkefli competes in the men's F20 shot put.

- Bernama

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