Brunei's athletics team posing for a group photo with coach Fidel Gallenero (L) at the Brunei International Airport prior to their departure for the Perlis SUKMA Games on Friday. Picture: BT/Syarif Rasani
Mohd Adenin Bolhan in action at the Balapan Track and Field of the Hassanal Bolkiah National Sports Complex in Berakas. Picture: BT/Syarif Rasani
Athelics coach Fidel Gallenero has high hopes for discus thrower Mohd Adenin Bolhan at the Malaysia Games (SUKMA) in Perlis, Malaysia.
Brunei will also be represented by Nurhidayatullah Johari who will be taking part in the 100 and 200 metres at the Kompleks Sukan Negeri in Kangar. Coach Gallenero told The Brunei Times that he expects Adenin to do very well and hopefully finish with a placing.
"My aim is to hopefully take a medal, if Adenin can throw over 40 metres maybe he can," said Gallenero before departing Sultanate at the Brunei International Airport on Friday. "Last Tuesday and yesterday I took measurement of Adenin's discus throw and he did 40 metres," he said.
Adenin's previous personal best was 37.07 when he took second place during the Brunei Open in December. "He has maintained 39 metres, so now we need to make sure he consistently throws that," said Gallenero.
"In the previous two years the bronze medallists only did 37.7 metres," noted Gallenero. Although looking back at past results looked promising for Adenin, Gallenero admitted that it will depend on the situation since the Malaysian side are strong.
"It's their selection for the national team and some of them are national athletes also," said Gallenero. "So it's not easy to win at SUKMA because I know Malaysia's preparation wasn't easy. "The Sabah athletics squad trained three months in Philippines in Baguio City, the national training camp," added Gallenero.
Adenin is feeling confident with his upcoming performance and promised to try his best for the Sultanate. "With my latest personal best, I hope that I can at least reach the top three," said Adenin.
The two athletes secured their spots in the competition after putting up a strong showing at the Brunei-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA) Friendship Games and the Borneo Games.
Adenin secured two silver medals in the discus and shot putt at last September's 3rd Borneo Games in Labuan and also picked up a gold in discus and bronze in shot putt at the 2012 BIMP-EAGA Friendship Games.
Nurhidayatullah shined on the tracks taking gold in both her events during the BIMP-EAGA Friendship Games. During the tournament she also ran her personal best in the 200 metres clocking in at 26.04. Brunei has sent a total of 25 athletes to also take part in the karatedo, pencak silat, sepak takraw and taekwondo.
The pencak silat competition started on Thursday at the Kompleks Sukan Negeri while the karatedo kicked into action yesterday at the Kolej Matrikulasi Perlis. The sepak takraw is scheduled to start on Tuesday at the Dewan 2020 in Kangar followed by athletics on Thursday and taekwondo on Saturday at the Kompleks Sukan Negeri.
