PARA SUKMA 2024: NOORHELMIE WINS GOLD IN 100M T12, ENDS AFIQ'S DOMINANCE

KUCHING, Sept 23 (Bernama) -- After settling for silver in two consecutive editions, Selangor athlete Muhammad Noorhelmie Mohd Rabi finally claimed the gold in the men's 100 metres (m) T12 (visual impairment) category, dethroning defending champion Muhamad Afiq Mohamad Ali Hanafiah at the 2024 Malaysia Para Games (Para SUKMA) here today.

In an impressive turn of events on the first day of athletics at Sarawak Stadium, Noorhelmie not only ended Muhamad Afiq’s dominance since the 2018 edition in Perak but also broke his rival's record of 11.40 seconds (s) from that edition, clocking a new time of 11.38s.

Muhamad Afiq, the national record holder with a time of 11.10s set during the 2023 ASEAN Para Games in Cambodia, had to settle for silver with a time of 11.54s, while fellow Johor athlete Amri Muqtadar Asrulnazri took bronze with 11.90s.

Noorhelmie admitted that Muhamad Afiq’s left thigh injury gave him hope for a breakthrough at Para SUKMA 2024.

"It’s tough to beat Muhamad Afiq as I often lose to him during training sessions at the National Sports Council (NSC) in Bukit Jalil. After learning about his injury, I thought I might have a chance, but I didn’t expect to break the Games record today.

"Even during the heats this morning, I only managed 11.60s. But, Alhamdulillah, luck was on my side, and this is also Selangor’s first athletics gold," he told Bernama.

Despite his victory over Muhamad Afiq, Noorhelmie remained humble, stating that true success can only be measured once his senior competitor is fully recovered from injury.

The 23-year-old athlete, who is part of the NSC development programme, said his passion for sports had been with him since childhood, and he never saw his impairment as an obstacle to achieving success in life.

"I fell as a baby, resulting in head trauma that left me with blurred vision in my right eye and complete blindness in my left. I didn’t excel much in school, but that didn’t stop me from pursuing success through sports," he said.

Admiring former Jamaican 100m world champion Yohan Blake, Noorhelmie added that this accomplishment was a blessing for him and his wife, Nurmasyitah Roselan, 24, as they awaited the birth of their second child, due in November.

Meanwhile, Muhamad Afiq, who won bronze at the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, said he took a risk competing in Para SUKMA despite suffering from an injury for nearly three months.

"I just completed rehab but haven’t fully recovered, and I only had two weeks of training before Sarawak. I’m quite disappointed not to win a third consecutive gold," he said.

-- BERNAMA