KUALA LUMPUR: Chery Malaysia joined the nation in celebrating the triumphant return of Malaysia’s athletes from the recently completed Asian Youth Para Games (AYPG) in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
The Malaysian contingent delivered a record-breaking performance, securing 39 medals (14 gold, 12 silver and 13 bronze) across eight events; archery, athletics, badminton, boccia, powerlifting, swimming, table tennis, and taekwondo.
It was a remarkable improvement from the 13 medals won at the previous edition in Bahrain.
The homecoming was made even more memorable as the athletes exited the arrival gates to cheers from family members, while representatives of Chery Malaysia and the National Sports Council welcomed the athletes with flower bouquets and provided transportation.
This celebration follows Chery Malaysia’s commitment to empowering youth and promoting inclusivity in sports.
Prior to the Games, Chery also ferried all 29 athletes together with their coaches to the Kuala Lumpur International Airport in a convoy of Chery SUVs (sport utility vehicles).
“Malaysia’s historic medal haul sets a new benchmark for para sports in this region, and Chery Malaysia is very proud of the achievement of these athletes,” said Chery Malaysia executive vice president Men Lin Bo.
Swimmer Elysha Cheong Hui Yin made waves at the Asian Youth Para Games, bringing home four gold medals in the 400m freestyle, 100m freestyle, 100m butterfly, and 100m breaststroke, along with a bronze in the 200m individual medley.
“It was my first time competing overseas, and I’m very happy with my performance. Traveling to Dubai was such an exciting experience — even though the weather was so cold that I sometimes shivered while waiting for my events to start!,” said the 13-year-old from Kuala Lumpur.
First-time badminton partners Cheah You Zhou and Ahmed Shahputra Abdul Rahim, who competed in the Bandminton Men’s Doubles (SH6), described the opportunity to play at an international competition as an eye-opener.
“Our final match was not easy, but we pulled through together and supported each other. We are very happy to have made it this far and to bring the gold medal home,” said Ahmed.
Powerlifter Johannes Gabriel Chew battled through a challenging path to the finals and demonstrated incredible resilience, clinching the silver medal in the Next-Gen Men’s up to 65kg category.
Themed ‘Born to Rise’, the Asian Youth Para Games serves as a platform for young para athletes with disabilities to showcase their talent and determination on an international stage.
Earlier this year, Chery International partnered with the Kazakhstan Paralympic Committee to organise a children’s sports festival, giving young participants the opportunity to experience the joy of sport and the power of self-improvement.
This initiative became an important foundation for expanding meaningful cross-border Paralympic public-welfare efforts.
Chery International further reinforced these ties by supporting the successful hosting of the Asian Paralympic Committee Congress this year.
