MALAYSIAN CONTINGENT READY FOR BEIJING PARALYMPICS

BEIJING, Sept 2 (Bernama) -- Malaysian athletes are ready for the Beijing Paralympics that begins this Saturday.

"This is the first time that the athletes had such a long training session.
They trained for six months and now they are ready for the competition," said
the Malaysian contingent chief, Ng Kong Chuan, when met by Bernama.

He was met after attending the flag-raising ceremony at the Paralympics
Athletes Village here Monday.

Also present was Malaysian ambassador to China, Syed Norulzaman
Kamarulzaman.

Beside Malaysia, also honoured at the ceremony were the contingents of
Saudi Arabis, Uruguay and Portugal who also checked in Monday.

The games village will be host to more 7,000 athletes and offcials from 148
countries.

Ng said the arrival five days early of the athletes was for them to be
acclimatised to the weather.

Eleven Malaysian athletes will take part in five sports which are archery,
swimming, athletics, rowing and powerlifting.

They all arrived here Monday morning.