KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 10 (Bernama) -- The national paralympic contingent is targeting to deliver 57 gold medals at the sixth Asean Para Games in Solo (Surakarta), Indonesia, from Dec 12 to 22.

Malaysian contingent chief Datuk Borhan Dollah said the sports identified as potential gold-medal contributors were athletics (30), swimming (eight), badminton (six), tenpin bowling (six), powerlifting (two), table tennis (two), archery (two) and wheelchair tennis (one).

"Sports such as athletics and swimming are the main strength of the Malaysian contingent. However, we are only targeting our volleyball team to reach the final while in goalball it will be tough going to obtain a gold. We are not taking part in chess.

"In this games, only powerlifting will deliver ranking points for athletes to qualify for the London Paralympic Games," he told Bernama here Saturday.

Borhan said the target of 57 gold medals was seen as fewer compared to the fifth games in 2009 in Kuala Lumpur because the host country did not offer many sport events with gold medal prospects for Malaysia.

"Only 11 events are offered compared to 14 sports in the 2009 games. Sailing, a potential gold-medal prospect, is not offered as Indonesia does not think it can excel in that sport," he said.

At the 2009 games in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia was runner-up in the overall medal tally, clinching 94 gold, 81 silver and 71 bronze medals behind Thailand who collected 157 gold, 75 silver and 57 bronze medals.

Borhan, who is also the Youth and Sports Department director-general, said the national contingent is undergoing final centralised training at the National Sports Centre for three days.

"The preparation this time is more organised with a longer session. We want quality for the best performance to deliver gold," he said.

A total of 120 paralympic athletes and 60 people, including nurses, doctors and management officers, would leave for Solo on Monday.

BERNAMA