Unleashing the champion mindset among Melaka’s para athletes of the Malaysia Games

Abstract

Sukan Para Malaysia (Para Sukma) is a multisport event for disabled athletes in Malaysia, established in 1982. Initially called the National Games for Disabled Members of Malaysia, it became the Malaysian Paralympic Games in 1998 and was renamed Sukan Para Malaysia in 2018. The event now occurs biennially, alongside the Malaysian Games, in the same host state. In 2024, Melaka will participate with 83 contingents, including 63 athletes and 20 officials, competing in various sports such as archery, swimming, tenpin bowling, chess, badminton, table tennis, powerlifting, athletics, boccia and lawn bowls. Athletes represent diverse disabilities, including physical, intellectual and visual impairments. Based on previous achievements, Melaka aims to secure nine gold medals this year. Table 1 provides the breakdown of the Melaka’s Para Contingent 2024. View this table: Table 1 The breakdown of Melaka Para Contingent 2024 To ensure that the athletes are mentally ready for this year’s competition, the Department of Youth and Sports of Melaka (KBS), together with the Sports and Recreation Association of Disabled People of the State of Melaka (PESRON), has organised a 1-day team-building programme for all participating athletes and officials. This team-building session aims to frame the champion mindset and encourage inclusivity and team spirit among participating athletes with disabilities. Even though only 31 athletes and 6 coaches attended the programme, the presence of all managers and facilitators from the KBS, PESRON and the organiser has facilitated the programme’s effectiveness. This was the first time those athletes had been exposed to mental training. As Anuar and Bahar1 contended, visualisation techniques among disabled athletes are still underexplored. During the mind-setting session, all athletes and …