BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN (Borneo Bulletin/ANN): Brunei Darussalam ended its gold medal drought at the 33rd South-East Asian Games (SEA Games) in Thailand after national wushu athlete Mohammad Adi Salihin Roslan clinched first place in the men’s combined disciplines of Nandao, Nangun and Nanquan, on Monday, with an overall score of 29.329.
This marks Mohammad Adi Salihin’s fourth consecutive gold medal for the country across four successive SEA Games.
His Royal Highness Prince Sufri Bolkiah, SEA Games Federation Honorary Life President and President of the Brunei Darussalam National Olympic Council, who witnessed the competition, also presented the gold medal to Mohammad Adi Salihin and the other winners.
The silver medal went to Randall Lim of Singapore, while Malaysia’s Bryan Ti Kai Jie took the bronze medal.
Mohammad Adi Salihin’s scores in each of the three disciplines were 9.773 in the men’s Nanquan, 9.783 in men’s Nandao and 9.773 in men’s Nangun.
Wushu coach Li Hui explained that it was not an easy task for Mohammad Adi Salihin to win a gold medal in the combined disciplines event. He said, “In this year’s SEA Games, athletes needed to lead in three combined disciplines to win the gold medal.
"This is a huge challenge because the athlete has to face pressure in preparing for the next day’s competition. Therefore, the athlete must have a strong mentality during the competition, which is not easy.”
On winning Brunei’s first gold medal, he expressed, “The playing of the national anthem and the hoisting of the national flag were a truly inspiring moment. After three days of intense competition, the Brunei wushu team, relying on strong determination and superb skills, stood out among the contenders and successfully captured a valuable gold medal.”
He added, “This gold medal not only represents a major breakthrough for the team at this edition of the games, but also marks a brilliant chapter in the history of wushu development in Brunei. Brunei wushu athlete Mohammad Adi Salihin has won gold medals at four consecutive SEA Games, once again creating history for Brunei sports.”
Behind the gold medal, he said, “are the athletes’ day-in, day-out arduous training and perseverance through every sweat-soaked effort; the coaching team’s carefully formulated tactical strategies and meticulous guidance throughout the competition; and the strong backing by the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports of Brunei and personnel in logistical support, resource coordination, and policy assistance.
“This hard-earned honour embodies the dedication and contributions of all involved and is the result of teamwork and national support.”
He continued, “We are proud of the outstanding achievements of the Brunei wushu team. Through their excellent performances, they have demonstrated the fighting spirit and professional calibre of Bruneian athletes and brought honour to the nation. We congratulate and express our appreciation to all athletes, coaches, and staff who contributed to this competition”.
The gold-medal victory, he said, “is not only inspiring, but also injects strong momentum into the development of wushu in Brunei. It is hoped that the Brunei wushu team will take this achievement as a new starting point, continue striving for excellence, and achieve further success on future international stages, including the Asian Games and the Youth Olympic Games.” -- Borneo Bulletin/ANN
