Powerlifter Lee Chan wins a bronze for Malaysia

BEIJING: Malaysia finally ended their 16-year medal drought in the Paralympic Games when powerlifter Siow Lee Chan won a bronze in the women’s under-56kg event here yesterday.

“I am very happy and proud to have bagged a bronze medal for my country,’’ said the 37-year-old mother of twins.

“This is my first Paralympic medal in my third Games,’’ added Lee Chan.

Lee Chan lifted 95kg to improve on her personal best of 92.5kg achieved at the 2004 Athens Paralympics.

Egypt’s Fatma Omar won the gold with a new Paralympic record of 141.5kg. Russia’s Irina Kazantseva (97.5kg) took the silver.

Lee Chan’s team-mate, Cheok Kon Fatt, 53, lifted 137.5kg in his third attempt to finish eighth in the men’s under-52kg category.

Datin Seri Jeanne Abdullah, the wife of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, was among the audience at the Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronauts Gymnasium.