Report & Data Visualisation: Shaza Al Muzayen
Editor: Sakina Mohamed
KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 5 (Bernama) -- Nearly 4,400 athletes from across the globe are competing in the 2024 Paris Paralympic Games, running from August 28 to September 8, 2024.
While this is significantly fewer than the 10,500 athletes who participated in the 2024 Paris Olympics, it's fascinating to note that the Paralympics boast even more events, with 549 competitions spanning 22 sports—surpassing the Olympics in sheer variety.
The Olympics, in comparison, had 329 events across 32 sports.
The higher number of events likely stems from the unique classification systems within each Paralympic sport, designed to promote fair and equal competition for all athletes. Athletes are grouped based on how much their impairment affects their ability to perform in their sport.
Southeast Asian (SEA) countries that participated in the Paris 2024 Olympics sent a combined total of 184 athletes.
Slightly fewer athletes –168 in total – were sent by SEA countries for the 2024 Paralympics.
Just like in the Paris Olympics, Thailand leads in numbers among the Southeast Asian teams at this year's Paralympics, sending the largest delegation with 78 athletes. In comparison, they had sent 52 athletes to the Olympics.
Malaysia, meanwhile, sent its largest team ever to the 2024 Paralympics, with 28 athletes competing. In comparison, its delegation to the Olympics comprised 26 athletes.
The country has made remarkable strides since its Paralympic debut at the 1972 Summer Games in Heidelberg, Germany. Malaysia has proudly claimed seven gold medals throughout its Paralympic journey, with the most recent victory achieved by Cheah Liek Hou in the para-badminton men’s singles SU5 event.
In the final Paris 2024 Olympic medal tally, SEA countries won a total of 16 medals.
As of September 5, 2024, Paralympians from SEA countries have won a combined total of 37 medals at Paris.
Thailand currently tops the medal tally with five golds, six silvers, and seven bronzes. Following them are Singapore with two golds and one silver, Indonesia with one gold, six silvers, and five bronzes, Malaysia with one gold, one silver, and one bronze, and Vietnam with one bronze.
Meanwhile, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, the Philippines, and Timor-Leste are yet to secure any medals at the 2024 Paralympics.
-- BERNAMA