SEPANG: “No matter what, I have never not brought home a medal for Malaysia.” That was what national shot putter Muhammad Ziyad Zolkefli said on his return home today after missing out on the gold medal at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics.
Ziyad, who went to Tokyo as the reigning world record holder and defending champion in the F20 (intellectual impairment) category, clearly could not hide his disappointment when speaking to the media at KLIA here.
The 31-year-old said he had given his best but described his disqualification as a “nightmare”.
“I am sad, extremely sad actually, but I want to show that I am strong also because I have given my best and proven that I am capable.
“Usually, I will go and make Malaysia proud. But this time, it feels different. Usually, I will bring home a medal but this time I bring back feelings of sadness, disappointment and grief,” he told a media conference held in conjunction with the national contingent’s return at KLIA today.
At the same time, Ziyad hoped that netizens in Malaysia would stop condemning Ukraine’s Maksym Koval, who won the gold medal, saying he (the Ukrainian) was also a human being like him.
“I hope everyone understands, he is in the same category as me. He too has feelings like me, weaknesses like me … we are the same. When he is condemned (by netizens), I don’t know what his situation is like,” said Ziyad.
On Aug 31, Ziyad was denied the gold medal in the men’s F20 shot put event despite a throw of 17.94m, which was a new world record for the event.
He was classified as Did Not Start (DNS) following a protest lodged by Ukraine, who claimed that Ziyad was late to enter the call room.
Maksym was announced as the gold medallist with a throw of 17.34m, breaking Ziyad’s world record of 17.29m that he had set at the 2017 World Para Athletics Championships in London.
“This has taught me a lesson. In 2024 (at the Paris Paralympics), I will strive to break the world record again,” he said. - FMT
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