KUALA LUMPUR: Youngster Eddy Bernard jumped for joy after making a golden debut in the Asian Para Games by winning the long jump T44 (cerebral palsy) event.
But two-time world champion Muhd Ziyad Zolkefli was not smiling despite breaking his own Asian Games record en route to retaining his men’s shot putt F20 (learning disability) gold.
The 17-year-old Eddy from Sabah surprised everyone by posting a personal best twice to win Malaysia’s 15th gold medal at the Gelora Bung Karno Main Stadium yesterday.
He did a personal best of 6.20m in the second jump before he bettered the mark with 6.30m in the fifth jump.
Eddy, whose previous best was 5.82m set in the Asian Para Youth Games in Dubai last year, was surprised with his success.
“It was my first Asian Para Games and I felt a bit nervous competing against the best in Asia. But I stayed focus and was surprised to do a personal best twice.
“This is the first time I managed to surpass the six metres and I’m proud of my effort. I must thank my coach Tony Sawan, who has been training me more than three years now,” said Eddy.
The 28-year-old Ziyad from Gombak did a season-best throw of 16.94m to erase his previous Games record of 15.31m set in Incheon four years ago.
Ziyad, however, was not pleased as he failed to break his own world record of 17.29m, which he did at the World Para Athletics Championships in London to win gold last year.
Rio Paralympic gold medallist Ziyad said that he failed to surpass the 17m mark in all six throws.
“I was so eager to better my world record after my good friends Mohamed Ridzuan (Puzi) and Abdul Latif (Romly) broke world records (in the 100m T36 and long jump F20 respectively in the Games).
“But my efforts today were way off my personal best. And I only managed to better my Games record.
“I have a year to train much harder for next year’s World Para Championships (in Dubai from Nov 7-15),” said Ziyad.
Malaysia bagged six silvers and two bronzes.
Mohd Awi Mohamad Aliff did a personal best throw of 13.09m to win silver in the men’s shot putt F20 while Muhamad Ashraf Muhd Haisham clocked a personal best time of 4:17.02 to bag the silver in the men’s 1,500m T45/46 event.
Shuttler Didin Taresah had to settle for silver in the men’s singles SS6 after he lost to Chu Man Kai of Hong Kong 21-13, 21-17 in the final.
Cyclist Mohd Najib Turano clocked 5:06.175 to settle for silver in the men’s 4000m individual pursuit C4 event.
Two other silvers were delivered in the lawn bowl events – Rattna’aizah Mohd Idris partnered Norfirzan Mahmud in the mixed pairs B6 and Haszley Elias and Jariah Zakaria in the mixed pairs B7.
The bronzes were bagged by Masnah Arbik-Mohd Abdillah Mat Rashid in the mixed pairs B2 and Abdul Rais Mohd Mokhtar-Salmiah Zakaria in the mixed pairs B8.
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