It was a fitting welcome for Ridzuan and his fellow gold medallists Muhammad Ziyad Zolkefli and Abdul Latif Romly, as well as bronze medallist Siti Noor Radiah Ismail, as they arrived at the Bunga Raya Complex in the airport, greeted by hugs and screams of joy from family, friends, VIPs and well-wishers.
It was indeed a “Heroes’ Welcome”, as described by Youth and Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin, for the medal winners as well as the rest of the Malaysian contingent on their return home from the Rio Paralympic Games.
Ziyad, or the “Smiling Giant”, as he has come to be known, was all smiles as he basked in the glory of it all.
On Sept 10, at the Rio Paralympics, Ridzuan won the gold medal in the men’s 100m sprint (cerebral palsy disability category, T36). It was the country’s first ever gold medal at the peak of international sports, be it for any able-bodied or disabled athlete.
A few hours later, on the same day, Ziyad took the gold for the men’s shot put (intellectual disability, F20). Malaysia’s trio of gold medalists was complete the next day, and within a 24-hour period, as Latif took gold in the men’s long jump (T20). Both Ziyad and Latif also set a new world record in their respective events.
Five days later, Siti Noor Radiah got the bronze in the women’s long jump (T20), and set a new Asian record with her effort.
Khairy was joined by Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak, Transport Minister Liow Tiong Lai, former Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi, family members, friends and hundreds of Malaysians, who were seen cheering the Paralympians on and occasionally producing “battle cries” for their heroes, shouting “Kami luar biasa! (We are extraordinary!)”.
An elderly man in the crowd, Muhammad Taufik bin Aiman, said that he had made the trip all the way from Penang just to “witness a moment of history”.
Speaking to FMT, Taufik said that he used to be a head coach for an athletics’ club in Penang and had always dreamed of the day when Malaysia would have its own gold medal winner.
“I am 65-years old this year, and my dream has finally come true. I come from a family of athletes. My brothers, my son and even my nieces all aspire to be national athletes one day.
“They (Paralympians) have definitely inspired me and my family to strive for the best. I cannot express how much this moment means to me and my family,” Taufik said.
He explained that he had made the trip down to Kuala Lumpur with his son and his brother, all of whom will be joining Khairy and the Paralympians in parading around the KL city centre later today.
The “wira and wirawati” (heroes and heroines) will board an “open top bus”, which together with a convoy of cars, will make its way through Jalan Tun Razak before going on to KLCC via Jalan Ampang and making a stop in front of the entrance of Dewan Filharmonik Petronas.
The convoy will then head to the Pavilion shopping mall in Jalan Bukit Bintang via Jalan Sultan Ismail and Jalan Raja Chulan and make a stop at the fountain at the entrance of the mall before continuing to the Paralympics Excellence Centre in Kampung Pandan, the final stop.