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No medals, but CDM happy
Sunday, 28th November 2010


Brunei CDM Hj Muhd Zamri DP Hj
Hamdani said national wushu
exponents (pic) should train more,
especially on their 'degree of
difficulty'. Picture: Infofoto

Brunei CDM happy with national contingent's performance in Guangzhou.

They will not return with any medals tonight, but Brunei's chef de mission (CDM) for the Guangzhou Asian Games feels that the country should still hold its head high.

The Sultanate was represented by eight athletes in four sports fencing, equestrian, karate-do and wushu at the sporting extravaganza which ended in China yesterday.

In his comments to national broadcaster Radio Televisyen Brunei on Friday, Hj Muhd Zamri DP Hj Hamdani said that he was happy with the contingent's performance.

"I am satisfied with the athletes' performance (in Guangzhou) though they failed to win a medal," he was quoted as saying.

"The athletes in fencing and equestrian (Mohammad Yunos Hj Hamid and Pg Mohd Nasir Pg Anak Jaafar) really shone and they showed that they have improved.

"Equestrian is seen as a sport with big long-term potential even though it requires a lot of spending.

"More training is needed, especially in wushu whose athletes have to work on their 'degree of difficulty' (one of the judging criteria).

"Wushu has the potential to progresss further if parents can give their full support. Athletes in wushu need to be developed as early as five years old," added the vice-president of the Brunei Darussalam National Olympic Council (BNOC).

The Sultanate ended its campaign at the 16th edition of the Games on Friday through karate-do's Mainudin Hj Mohamad and Mohammad Jamil Hj Abd Hamid.

Mainudin advanced to the quarter-finals of the men's kumite -75kg class but was injured in the process and was unable to compete again.

Mohammad Jamil lost his first and only match 9-1 to Malaysia's Mohd Hatta Mahamut.

In a Press release issued on Friday, Hj Muhd Zamri said that the country should have put up a better fight.

"They (national karate-do exponents) failed to perform and did not give their rivals a fight. They did not capitalise on the chances they had to attack but their opponents did," he said.

"On the whole the national karate-do team's performance does not show the required quality that we hoped for and they need to work on their obvious weaknesses," added the Deputy Director (II) of the Department of Youth and Sports.

It was an outing to forget for the team after Muhammad Fida'iy Hj Sanif and older brother Mohammad Fadillah were both knocked out at the first hurdle.

The 21-year-old Muhammad Fida'iy lost 3-0 to Nepal's Binod Maharjan in his first match which was in the Round of 32.

Mohammad Fadillah got a bye into the second round (Last 16) of the men's kumite -67kg category but the 31-year-old Bruneian failed to capitalise on the opportunity and fell 2-1 to Syria's Karem Othman.

The country has always done relatively well in the sport at the Games, winning three of its four bronze medals from the Japanese martial-art.

Courtesy from Brunei Times