THREE NATIONAL RECORDS COME TUMBLING DOWN AS PARA SUKMA KICKS OFF IN EMPHATIC FASHION

From AMIRIL MUTTAQIEN MEKETAR

KUCHING, Sept 23 (Bernama) -- The 2024 Para Malaysia Games (Para SUKMA) kicked off in emphatic fashion as three National records came tumbling down at the Petra Jaya Archery Range and Pandelela Rinong Aquatic Centre which certainly provided the highlights on the first day with two archers breaking national records here today.

Loh Chi Hui who represented Pahang was in a class of her own when she topped the women's recurve individual qualification competition with 574 points, surpassing the 504 points record held for 11 years by Nor Sa'adah Abdul Wahab since the Asian Para Archery Championship (AAPC) 2013 in Bangkok.

 The 34-year-old wheelchair archer then once again created a sensational success when her combination with Ahmad Jaffri Jamaluddin in the mixed recurve team event recorded 1,153 points in total to erase the previous record held by former 2019 world champions S. Suresh and Jennyla Kueh (1,093 points) at the 2019 AAPC.

The performance of national swimmer Abd Halim Mohammad who represented Sabah is also no less great when he not only snatched gold in the S8-S9 men's 400 meters (m) freestyle (physical record) from Rusdianto Rusmadi but also renewed the national record of the host representative which was 5 minutes 50.54 seconds (s) in the last edition through a new record of 5:21.99s.

Two more swimmers, namely Ethan Khoo Yin Jun from Sabah and 14-year-old swimmer from Kuala Lumpur Asyiil Raziin Razman, also excelled in setting a new games record this time.          

Ethan who won gold in the S14 boys' 100m backstroke event (intellectual disability) clocked 1:06.20s and broke the games record held by Negeri Sembilan swimmer Anas Zul Amirul Sidi (1:10.69s) was done in the 2018 edition in Perak.

Although still young, Asyiil's debut was quite exciting by emerging as the winner of the S14 women's 100m freestyle (intellectual impairment) with a record of 1:23.35s thus erasing the old record of 1 :26.29s by Kedah swimmer, Puteri Nur Diyana Megat in the 2022 edition.

Competition at the Sarawak Stadium saw two athletes, Badrul Hisam Musa and Muhammad Noorhelmie Mohd Rabi, stand out with new Games records in their respective events.

Not only did they win gold, Badrul Hisam from Johor even broke the men’s F12 shot put event record (visual impairment) three times today. The 11.85m (fifth attempt). gave him the gold by breaking the Games record of his 'closest rival' which was 11.40s in the 2018 edition.

Meanwhile, a total of 67 gold medals will be up for grabs tomorrow with athletics offering 29 gold which is the most number of medals compared to five other sports that also offer medals. 

-- BERNAMA