BEIJING, Sept 6 (Bernama) -- National powerlifting athlete P. Mariappan was given the honour to carry the Jalur Gemilang at the opening of the 13th Paralympic Games here Saturday.
"I feel proud for the honour given to me," he told Bernama.
Among those who attended the opening ceremony were the Malaysian Prime Minister's wife Datin Seri Jeanne Abdullah, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, South Korean Prime Minister Han Seung-so, and Infanta Elena, the daughter of King Juan Carlos of Spain.
For Mariappan, 50, who took up powerlifting in 1980, this will be his sixth and last paralympics, the world's biggest sporting event for the disabled people.
"I've won many gold medals in other championships but not in the paralympics. This will be my target here," said Mariappan who represented the country the paralympics in Seoul (1988), Barcelona (1992), Atlanta (1996), Sydney (2000) and Athens (2004).
He won the bronze in Seoul and Barcelona.
A total of 11 Malaysian paralympians are taking part in five of 20 sports at the Paralympic Games here and would begin their challenge in their respective events Sunday.
-- BERNAMA
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