The duo from Selangor clinched the gold in the Mixed Doubles – Division D11 event, marking a significant achievement for Malaysia at the global sporting event.

In addition to the gold medal, Malaysia also excelled in other categories. Nur Syakila Nasir and Safri Ramis won silver in the badminton mixed doubles while Wafi Anas Khairul Anuar secured a bronze medal in Bocce men’s singles.

The Malaysian delegation consists of 22 athletes, including 16 athletes with intellectual disabilities and six Unified Partners. Unified Partners are individuals without intellectual disabilities who team up with athletes with intellectual disabilities to compete together in sports competitions.

The Malaysian delegation chief Sivanesan Govindasamy said that the team aimed to win three gold medals.

However, he added that the categories used in this edition of the games posed a challenge.

“Although we are aiming for three gold medals, it is an uphill task due to the number of divisions this time around. There are only three divisions to compete and qualify compared with the previous World Games where there were up to seven divisions.

“The chance of winning medals increases when there is a more accurate categorisation with athletes having the same ability being grouped under the same division,” he said in a statement yesterday.

The Special Olympics World Games in Berlin commenced on June 17 and will continue until June 25, offering athletes a platform to showcase their skills and compete at an international level.