APG: Swimming, athletics teams make it a perfect 10 for Malaysia

SOLO (Indonesia): The Malaysian contingent finally have lift off in the ASEAN Para Games (APG) when they exploded in glorious style to bag 10 gold and three silver medals here yesterday.

With no Malaysians involved in any of the medal events on the first day, the swimming camp splashed their way to a pleasantly surprising six golds and one silver - plus three Games records to boot - on the opening day of the event at the Jatidiri Aquatic Centre in Semarang.

The three record breakers were Mohd Adib Iqbal Abdullah, who won the men's 100-metre (m) breaststroke SB14 (intellectual impairment) event; Abdul Halim Mohamad, who came out tops in the men's 100m breaststroke SB8 (physical impairment) event; and Muhammad Imaan Aiman Muhammad Redzuan, who triumphed in the men's 50m backstroke S14 event.

Malaysia continued to enjoy the glitter of gold in the pool through Fraidden Dawan in the men's 400m freestyle S10 (physical impairment); Brenda Anellia Larry in the women's 50m backstroke S4 (physical impairment); and Carmen Lim in the women's 100m breaststroke SB8 (physical impairment) events.

Carmen also won silver in the women's 100m freestyle SB8 event.

Not to be outdone, the national athletics squad then chipped in with four golds and two silvers, including Malaysia's first gold medal in this edition through Muhammad Ziyad Zolkefli in the men's shot put F20 (intellectual impairment) that also saw Mohamad Aliff Mohamad Awi taking silver in the event.

Malaysia then managed another 1-2 finish in the men's shot put F53-55 (wheelchair) event through Jalur Gemilang flag-bearer Mohd Zikri Zakaria and Muhammad Amirul Alif Abdul Raof respectively.

Former Paralympic and world champion Mohamad Ridzuan Mohamad Puzi also contributed a gold medal in the men's 100m T35/36 (cerebral palsy) event at the Manahan Stadium before Eddy Bernard sealed Malaysia's fourth athletics gold when he came out tops in the men's long jump F44/64 (physical disability).

Malaysia, who are targeting at least 16 gold medals, will continue their gold quest in both swimming and athletics today.

World champion and two-time Paralympic gold medallist Datuk Abdul Latif Romly is expected to strike gold in the men's long jump F20 (intellectual impairment) event while Mohamad Ridzuan will compete in the men's 200m T36/37 event.

These are among the 10 athletics finals that will feature Malaysians today.

Malaysians will also be competing in three swimming finals today, involving Muhammad Nur Syaiful Zulkafli and Zy Lee Kher in the men's 200m freestyle S5 (physical impairment); Mohd Adib in the men's 50m breaststroke SB14 (intellectual impairment); and Muhammad Imaan Aiman in the men's 100m backstroke S14.

-- BERNAMA