PHNOM PENH: The national para swimming squad lived up to expectations when they bagged six golds, two silvers and one bronze on the first day of the competition at the 2023 ASEAN Para Games, here, today.
Three of the national swimmers created a sensation when they broke the Games records in the 12th edition of the biennial Games.
Mohd Adib Iqbal Abdullah got the ball rolling when he erased his own meet record in the men’s 100-metre (m) breaststroke SB14 (intellectual impairment) category by clocking one minute 9.54 seconds (s) to pip Filipino Ariel Joseph Montarde (1:13.59s) and Singaporean Darren Wei (1:18.82s).
The 23-year-old Mohd Adib Iqbal’s old mark of 1:10.87s was set at the previous edition in Solo, Indonesia.
Mohd Adib Iqbal said he was delighted to have defended the gold medal through sheer hard work.
“I am very happy because I managed to defend the gold medal and break the (meet) record. I only did my best and I dedicate the win to my family, who have given me their unwavering support,” he told reporters, here, today.
National woman para swimmer Carmen Lim followed suit, bagging gold in the 100m breaststroke SB8 (physical impairment) category by clocking 1:41.32s to erase the old Games mark of 1:42.58s set by Myanmar’s Thin Thin Khaine at the 2015 edition in Singapore.
Thailand’s Chaiwong Peakaithip (1:46.32s) took silver and Vietnam’s Thi My Le (1:47.83s) settled for bronze.
Seventeen-year-old Muhammad Imaan Aiman Muhammad Redzuan was the third record-breaker when he powered his way to victory in the men’s 50m backstroke S14 (intellectual impairment) by clocking 28.51s to erase his own previous Games mark of 29.27s.
Malaysia’s Duran Yaspi Imam Basori finished second in 30.01s while Indonesia’s Fathur Rizky (31.76s) came in third.
The other three gold medals were delivered by Abd Halim Mohammad, who won two categories - men’s 100m breaststroke and 100m freestyle SB8 (physical impairment) categories - and Fraidden Dawan in the men’s 400m freestyle S10 (physical impairment) category.
Meanwhile, Malaysia’s two silver medals came from Duran Yaspi in the men’s 50m backstroke S14 (intellectual impairment) category and Rusdianto Rusmadi in the men’s 400m freestyle S8 (physical impairment) category as Carmen Lim bagged a bronze in the women’s 100m freestyle S7-8 (physical impairment) category. - Bernama
