BRUNEI Darussalam’s athletes heading to the 3rd Summer Youth Olympic Games Buenos Aires, Argentina have set their aim to improve their personal and national records in their respective sporting events.

The selected athletes are Nur Haziq bin Samil (100m freestyle and 400m freestyle swimming), Ashley Chai Xin Rou (50m backstroke and 50m freestyle swimming), and Nurul Amirah binti Karim (1,500m track and field race).

National swimmer Nur Haziq said, “I hope to break my own personal record and it would even be a bigger achievement if I could break the national record.”

The 17-year-old bagged five gold, two silver and one bronze in the 4th Brunei Darussalam National Games (SKBD) last month. His personal best record for 100m freestyle is 57.14s, and 4:48 for the 400m freestyle.

“Trainings have been going on smoothly. I am honoured and happy to be able to represent Brunei Darussalam in the 3rd Summer Youth Olympic Games.”

Ashley Chai Xin Rou shares the same hopes as Haziq in aiming to smash her personal record.

“I am excited and also nervous to be able to compete in such a high level competition at the Youth Olympic Games. I hope to do well to break my own personal record.”

Her personal record for 50m backstroke is 32 seconds, and 29.89s in the 50m freestyle.

The young national swimmer who bagged seven gold medals in the SKBD was named Best Female Athlete in the competition. She was forced to take a short break from competitions last year to focus on her studies, but managed to bounce back in shape competing in various swimming competitions in the country.

Long distance runner Nurul Amirah binti Karim also aims to break her personal record of 5:54.

She has been training six days per week to prepare for her first abroad competition.

“I feel excited and happy to represent Brunei Darussalam. I also feel quite nervous as this is my first overseas competition,” she said.

The contingent will leave the country tomorrow.

Courtesy from Borneo Bulletin