2009 ASEAN Para Games

5th ASEAN Para Games

Motto

"Asean Moving Together"

Nations participating

Athletes participating

1200 (estimated)

Events

1500 in 11 sports (estimated)

Opening ceremony

15 August 2009

Closing ceremony

19 August 2009

Officially opened by

Mizan Zainal Abidin of Terengganu

Ceremony venue

Putra Indoor Stadium

< 2008	2011 >

The 2009 ASEAN Para Games, officially known as the 5th ASEAN Para Games, was a multi-sports event originally scheduled for Laos in January 2010, and instead held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia from 15–19 August 2009, an unprecedented five months ahead of the 2009 Laos SEA Games with 1500 events in 11 sports and disciplines featured in the games. Laos hosted the 2009 SEA Games later, but begged off from hosting the 5th ASEAN Para Games due to financial constraints and inexperience in providing disability-accessible venue adaptations for disabled athletes.^[1]

An estimated 1,200 athletes and officers from 11 countries have participated in the Games,^[2] and are confirmed by 15 June by the ASEAN nations' National Paralympic Committees.^[3] This edition of the Para Games is organised by the Kuala Lumpur Asean Para Games Organising Committee (KLAPGOC) in co-operation with the Malaysian Paralympic Council (MPM). Malaysia is the first nation to host the ASEAN Para Games and hosted the games for the second time after it last hosted the games in 2001.

The final medal tally was led by Thailand, followed by host Malaysia and Vietnam. Several Asian, Games and National records were broken during the games. The games were deemed generally successful with the rising standard of disabled sports competition amongst the Southeast Asian nations.

Organisation

The host

Originally scheduled for Laos in January 2010, the 2009 ASEAN Para Games was instead held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia from 15–19 August 2009, an unprecedented five months ahead of the 2009 Laos SEA Games with 1500 events in 11 sports and disciplines featured in the games. Laos hosted the 2009 SEA Games later, but begged off from hosting the 5th ASEAN Para Games due to financial constraints and inexperience in providing disability-accessible venue adaptations for disabled athletes.

Development and preparation

June 2009
• 15 June - Actual number of athletes and officials attending the event confirmed by ASEAN National Paralympic Committees.
• 28–31 June - All the Chef-de-Missions (CDMs) of the KL’09, 5th Asean Para Games met organisers in KL.^[4]

Early May 2009
• The 2nd entry forms (entry by number) and 5th ASEAN Para Game branding materials sent to ASEAN National Paralympic Committees late April. NPCs to submit forms ASAP. Sports with less than 4 nations participating were eliminated from the current list of 11 sports.

April 2009
• Meeting of the APSF board of governors decided on the type of sports to be contested at the Games. Initial entry forms released to NPCs.
• ASEAN NPC briefing by 2009 Para Games organiser Malaysian Paralympic Council, in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

The Kuala Lumpur Asean Para Games Organising Committee (KLAPGOC) was formed to oversee the staging of the event.

Venues

Opening and Closing Ceremonies

Putra Indoor Stadium, Bukit Jalil, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Training and Competition Venues

Sport	Venue	City
• Athletics	National Stadium, National Sports Complex, Bukit Jalil	20 km south of Kuala Lumpur
• Badminton	Putra Stadium, National Sports Complex	Kuala Lumpur
• Bowling	Mega Lanes Endah Parade, Sri Petaling	Kuala Lumpur
• Chess	Commonwealth Hall, National Sport Council, Bukit Jalil	Kuala Lumpur
• Powerlifting	Sri Putra Hall, Putra Stadium, National Sports Complex	Kuala Lumpur
• Sailing	Admiral Marina and Leisure Club	Port Dickson, Negeri Sembilan Province
• Swimming	National Aquatic Centre, National Sports Complex, Bukit Jalil	Kuala Lumpur
• Wheelchair Basketball	MPSJ Indoor Stadium, Serdang	Kuala Lumpur
• Wheelchair Table Tennis	OCM Indoor Sports Arena, Jln Hang Jebat	Kuala Lumpur
• Wheelchair Tennis	National Tennis Complex, Jalan Duta	Kuala Lumpur
• Sitting Volleyball	Titiwangsa Stadium, Titiwangsa Lake	Kuala Lumpur

Marketing

Logo and mascot

2009 ASEAN Para Games logo

KL or Kuala Lumpur, the enchanting capital city of Malaysia. Whilst ’09 points to the year 2009. The heart shape in the ‘0’ portrays the loving, caring and warm hospitality of Malaysian people. The brush stroke that seems to revolve into a sphere portrays the unity and inspiration of the ASEAN Community, in their spirit and values, coming together as formidable "One Team" to make it happen in line with the Games Theme "Asean Moving Together".^[5]

The KL'09 ASEAN ParaGames logo is mostly rehashed from the 2006 FESPIC Games logo, wherein Malaysian athletes performed beyond expectations during the 2006 event. Malaysia intends to replicate their success in 2009.

"Ujang" is the KL'09 ASEAN Para Games mouse deer mascot

"Ujang" the 5th ASEAN Para Games mascot, is based on the mouse deer (locally known as pelanduk or kancil), an animal native to Malaysia, SouthEast Asia, India and Africa. A favourite in Malay folklore, "Sang Kancil" the mouse deer plays the same role as the wily fox of European fables, using intelligence, wit and cunning to escape dangerous enemies.

Sang Kancil epitomises the true Paralympic spirit. Our Paralympians have what it takes to face the challenges and overcome the odds. Like the Sang Kancil, one should never underestimate the strength, agility and quick thinking of the Paraympians (athletes and leaders).^[6]

The games

Sports

Wheelchair tennis, a Paralympic sport is included in the 5th ASEAN Para Games

With the late resolution^[7] on which nation would host the 2009 Para Games, the 5th Asean Para Games was finally officially launched mid-April 2009. Malaysia must now scramble to put the Para Games together, 5 months ahead of the SEA Games. Sports proposed for the Asean Para Games have been pruned down to fit the limited timeframe and budget, hopefully with sponsorship support^[8] from the private sector.^[9]

"The RM4 million allocation was approved by the cabinet recently and that shows the government's initiative to promote the sports for athletes with physical disabilities. "We do not discriminate between sports for normal athletes and disabled athletes," said Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob at the pre-launch of the Asean Para Games at Menara KBS, here today.

Ismail Sabri said a number of sports could not be included due to a minimum requirement rule set by the Asean Para Sports Federation (APSF). "According to the APSF requirement, if a sport was to be included, at least four countries must participate", he said.^[10]

These sports will be sanctioned by requisite world governing bodies. A total of 1,500 medals^[11] were contested:

Main Sport

Water Sport

Ball Sport

Sailing debuted as a full medal sport in the 2009 ASEAN Para Games in Malaysia. The Philippines, Singapore, Vietnam and host Malaysia competed in two dinghy classes–the Access 2.3 and the Access Liberty, racing in the waters of Port Dickson, the same sailing event location of the FESPIC Games' final edition. Although a demonstration sport in the 2005 ASEAN Para Games last held in Manila, Philippines, Sailing was not included in the 4th ASEAN Para Games held in Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand in 2008.

Participating nations

Disabled athlete estimates per ASEAN country based on 2nd entry submitted May 2009.^[12]

Host nation

	Country	Athlete Estimate	Sports Entered
•	Brunei	30	3
•	Cambodia	11	2
•	Indonesia	99	7
•	Laos	24	4
•	Malaysia	258	11
•	Myanmar	36	5
•	Philippines	60	10
•	Singapore	98	9
•	Thailand	203	10
•	Timor-Leste	45	6
•	Vietnam	116	TBA
Total		980 Athletes	11 Sports to be contested

Medal Table

A total of 936 medals comprising 409 gold medals, 288 silver medals and 239 bronze medals were awarded to athletes. The Host Malaysia's performance was their second best yet in ASEAN Para Games History and were second only to Thailand as overall champion.