KUALA LUMPUR: For Ahmad Nazri Hamzah, being a para athlete is not about proving one's disability but to prove one's worth as an equal individual.
In fact, the 27-year-old had to battle his biggest enemy – himself – before coming to terms with the fact that he had lost a limb due to bone cancer in 2008.
On Thursday, Nazri captained the national three on three wheelchair basketball team that won the silver medal at the Asean Para Games 2017 here at the Malaysian International Trade and Exhibition Centre (MITEC).
Having won silver in the previous two editions, Nazri was a little disappointed, when he and his teammates were once again forced to play second fiddle to neighbours Thailand, losing 12-5.
"It's always difficult when people ask me about life as a para athlete. It took me some time to come to terms with my condition because I was born an able-bodied person.
"I used to walk and run like everyone else. It was not until the doctor informed me that I had to amputate my right leg, when things turned around for me.
"I felt like everything was over. However Dr Ang (Kean Koo), who was my physical teacher in school, suggested that I pick up the sport and I decided to give it a go.
"The following year, I travelled to Paris to witness the junior world championships and that changed my perception.
"Close to ten years down the line, I can say that there is nothing wrong with me. Looking at so many other para athletes outdoing themselves, it only proves that we have so much to offer."
On the final match which was attended by Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak and Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin, Nazri said: "We were nervous, we never converted those shots under the net and that made a lot of difference.
"Hopefully, we can come back stronger to give a better fight in the team event match against Thailand tomorrow."
In the previous edition in Singapore two years ago, Malaysia settled for the silver after losing out to Thailand.
Philippines, who finished third after the round robin format, took home the three on three bronze.