PHNOM PENH, Cambodia - Malaysia added 16 more gold medals on Day Three of the 2023 ASEAN Para Games (APG) today, with swimming and athletics contributing seven golds each and judo and table tennis chipping in with one each.
Their outstanding achievement means the national contingent has, so far, raked in 24 golds, 17 silvers and 12 bronzes.
In athletics, Eddy Bernard enjoyed a golden double when he came out tops in the men’s 100-metre (m) and long jump events in the T44 (physical impairment) category, followed by Muhammad Ashraf Muhammad Haisham (1,500m T46 - physical impairment); Mohamad Saifuddin Ishak (long jump T11-T12); and Zulkifly Abdullah (long jump T20 - intellectual impairment).
The other two who struck gold in athletics were shot putters Mohamad Aliff Mohamad Awi (F20 - intellectual impairment) and Mohd Shahmil Md Saad (F56 - physical impairment).
Not to be outdone, the national swimmers also splashed their way to seven gold medals through Muhammad Imaan Aiman Muhammad Redzuan in the men’s 100-metre (m) backstroke (S14 - intellectual impairment); Lee Kher Zy (200m freestyle S5 - physical impairment); and Mohd Adib Iqbal Abdullah (50m breaststroke SB14 - intellectual impairment).
Muhammad Nur Syaiful then took gold in the men’s 50m breaststroke (SB4 - physical impairment); followed by Abd Halim Mohammad (men’s 50m breaststroke SB8 - physical impairment); and Carmen Lim (women’s 50m breaststroke SB8).
The swimming contingent’s seventh gold came courtesy of their 4x100m medley relay (SB14 - intellectual impairment) team of Ethan Khoo, Bryan Lau, Muhammad Imaan Aiman and Mohd Adib Iqbal, who triumphed in 4 minutes 15.29 seconds.
The national judo and table tennis squads also created a sensation by delivering one gold medal each through exponent Muhamad Fatah Abu Bakar (below 73kg J2 - vision impairment) and the combination of Brady Zi Rong Chin-Chee Chaoming in the men’s team (TT9 - standing athletes).
All eyes will be on Muhammad Ashraf tomorrow as he guns for his third gold medal in the men’s 800m race (T46 - physical impairment).
Besides his 1,500m win today, Muhammad Ashraf also won the 5,000m gold medal. - BERNAMA