National Para athlete Mohamad Ridzuan Mohamad Puzi received the biggest windfall when he took home RM72,000 for his golden feat in the IPC World Athletics and the 8th Asean Para Games in Singapore, last year. Ridzuan received the cash reward at the National Sports Council’s SHAKAM Incentive ceremony, which recognises Malaysian gold medallists at the Singapore Games as well as other international Para tournaments. The ceremony took place at the Kampung Pandan Paralympic Excellence Centre here.
Ridzuan received RM32,000 following his two gold medal and record-breaking feat in the 100m dan 200m athletic events in Singapore last December.
An additional RM40,000 was also handed to Ridzuan for winning the gold medal at the prestigious 2015 IPC World Athletics Championship in Qatar.
“I’m honoured and speechlees. All my hard work had paid off and I’m determined to win more honours in my future endeavors. I wish to thank all those who have been supporting me through thick and thin,” said Ridzuan, who received the incentives from Minister of Youth Sports, YB Khairy Jamaluddin.
Khairy, meanwhile said, the national contingent’s success in surpassing their target in the 8th Asean Para Games by winning 52 gold, 58 silver and 37 bronze medal is proof that the athletes are on the track right to scale greater heights in future Games.
The 9th Asean Para Games, to be hosted by Malaysia next year, will provide opportunities for more athletes to shine and achieve greater feats on home soil. “It’s simply amazing as we managed to set 2 new Asian records and 9 Games records. Games debutants and like Felicia (Mikat) and Carmen (Lim) were proof that we’re not short of promising young talents. I hope this incentive will spur them to train harder,” said Khairy.
Felicia, 16, hogged the limelight in Singapore with a 3 gold-medal feat in the sprint 100m, 200m, and 400m, earning her a lucrative RM40,000 reward.
Meanwhile, long jumper Abdul Latif Romly emerged as the second highest recipient of the incentive, amassing RM61,000 following his golden victories in Singapore Asean Para Games (RM21,000) and the World Athletics Championships (RM40,000).
Athletics led the pack, amassing highest amount of incentive in this year’s SHAKAM with a total of RM478,000, followed by Tenpin bowling (RM160,000) and Swimming (RM116,000).
National wushu exponent Loh Jack Chang, Ho Mun Hua and Wong Weng Son also received their RM100,000 cash incentives following their achievement in the 13th World Wushu Championships in Jakarta last year.
A total of RM1.4 million was paid out to athletes for their gold medal ahievement in this year’s SHAKAM.
