Silver effort: Long jumper Abdul Latif Romly in action during the T20 final. — Bernama
DISAPPOINTMENT was written all over long jumper Abdul Latif Romly’s face after his final leap at the Paralympics.
The two-time Paralympics gold medal winner’s sixth jump was disqualified and he had to settle for silver in the men’s long jump T20 (learning disability) at the Stade de France on Saturday.
His earlier jump of 7.45m was his season’s best but was not good enough for the top placing.
Russia’s 21-year-old new star Matvei Iakushev, competing under the Neutral Paralympics Athletes (NPA), cleared 7.51m in his final jump to take the gold while Colombia’s Jhon Obando Asprilla took bronze with a jump of 7.38m.
Latif said if not for an injury, he could have nicked his third Paralympics gold in a row.
“I immediately went to Iakushev and congratulated him. Winning and losing is part and parcel of the game.
“I’m stressed but I am okay with the result,” said the 27-year-old, who won the gold at the 2012 London and 2016 Rio de Janeiro editions.
“I was jumping well during training sessions back home in Malaysia and also the first few days in Paris. I even cleared 7.60m at one point but on Wednesday, my left stomach muscle ached.
“I realised I had strained my muscle. That hampered my performance and with Iakushev being in good form, it made me even more worried.
“I even had difficulty breathing in some of the jumps.
“But it is over. It is time to recover and start prepping for future competitions.”
A determined Latif said his Paralympics journey is not over and will look to compete in the 2028 Los Angeles Games.
“I want to take back the gold. That will be the aim.
“I dedicate this silver medal to my wife (Nurul Nabila Farhana Musaidi) but I’ll get the gold for her the next time.”
Latif’s coach Mohd Shahrul Amri Suhaimi acknowledged that Iakushev is the man to beat now but believes Latif can bounce back.
“But we need to have the best plan. The plan must be a thorough one, like a four-year plan before Los Angeles. Iakushev is young and new, so our training has to be different now,” said Shahrul.
“We will return home and work on Latif’s recovery. He needs rest and some newfound motivation to be the best in the world.”
