KUALA LUMPUR: National para-athlete Mohamad Ridzuan Mohamad Puzi received RM260,000, the most for an individual under the National Sports Incentive Scheme (Shakam) after winning three gold medals and setting a new record at the Asian Games this year.
The Rio 2016 Paralympic Olympic gold medallist performed remarkably well during the 2018 Asian Games to win the gold in the T36 category 100m and 400m sprints and long jump events.
When met by reporters, Mohamad Ridzuan, who is affectionately known as ‘Dik Wan’, expressed his gratitude and described the incentive as motivation to further succeed.
“I am very thankful for this incentive. My performance in the Asian Games would not have been so without the support of all parties, especially my family members. It also encourages me to work harder to make Malaysia proud,” he said at the incentive presentation ceremony officiated by Youth and Sports Minister Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman at the National Sports Council (NSC) in Bukit Jalil here on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, rhythmic gymnast Amy Kwan Dict Weng who won one gold, one silver and two bronze medals at the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast received RM133,333 while national track cyclist Mohd Azizulhasni Awang received a similar amount after earning one gold, one silver and one bronze in the Jakarta-Palembang Asian Games.
Meanwhile, the medal tally of 17 gold, 26 silver and 25 bronze medals achieved by para-athletes at the Asian Games saw them take home a cumulative total of almost RM3 million (RM2,998,000) and of the total, athletics won the highest incentive of RM910,000.
The national contingent which won seven golds, 13 silver and 16 bronze medals at the Asiad bagged a total of RM1.57 million (RM1,568,000) with tenpin bowling receiving the highest total of RM248,000.
The national contingent for the Commonwealth Games received a total of RM1,030,000 and the badminton squad received the most with RM280,000.
The scheme’s total prize money was RM6.24 million, which also included three world championships joined by the men’s tenpin bowling squad, silat squad and national bodybuilding squad.
The contingent that won three gold, two silver and three bronze medals at the World Pencak Silat Championship 2018 recently received prize money totalling RM380,000, while the men’s national tenpin bowling squad received RM160,000 for two gold medals obtained at the 2018 World Men’s Bowling Championship last month.
The 2018 World Bodybuilding Championship which ended on Monday saw the contingent win four gold, one silver and one bronze medal, bagging a total of RM100,000.-Bernama
