Ahmad Yazid who married his
sweetheart last month, said that
him winning Brunei's first ever
Sukma gold medal was the perfect
belated wedding gift.
Picture: Infofoto

Brunei's first ever gold medal winner in Sukma, Ahmad Yazid Yatimi Yusof, described the gold medal that he won in men's discus, as a perfect belated wedding gift.

According to Bernama, Ahmad Yazid, 23, who last month married his sweetheart was clearly overcome with emotions when the Brunei national anthem was played while he received his medal on the podium.

"I also dedicate this gold medal to my country, coach and everyone who supported me all these years," he told Bernama.

"I am very happy, especially so because this will be my last Sukma. I was overcome by emotions when the national anthem of my country was played for the first time...but otherwise I'm happy."

Apart from winning the gold medal in discus with a throw of 42.87m, Ahmad Yazid who has a personal best of 43.29m, also won a bronze medal in the shot put, earlier.

Meanwhile two-time medallist in last year's Borneo Games, Feisal Ahad failed to make a mark in the men's 200m race yesterday - not even crossing the line in Heat 1 at the Utama Stadium, Hang Jebat Complex.

Gold medalist in the same event at the 2008 Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines-East Asean Growth Area (BIMP-Eaga) Friendship Games, Mohd Faisal was unable to reproduce the kind of form which won him the race with a time of 21.94s.

There was hardly anything separating the medalists in the final. Kelantan's Amir Fakhri Ismail won the race with a time of 21.64s. Melaka's Schzuan Ahmad Rosely finished second with 21.82s and Federal Territories's Syed Alliff Syed Noh was third with 21.99s.

The country's only female athlete in athletics, Maziah Mahusin, placed seventh in a field of eight contestants in the women's 400m hurdles on Wednesday with a time of 70.55s. She qualified for the final with a time of 69.34s on Tuesday. Sabah's Emmy Hakim won the race after clocking 42.87s. She was followed by Johor's Aini Nur Nazirah Mohd Ali (64.24s) and Terengganu's Nur Fazrianie Amira Daud (65.98s).

In the men's 1.5km mountain-bike downhill race, Mohd Azizi Kamal finished eighth in a field of 19 competitors with a time of 02:31.73 yesterday.

Sabah's Stanly Jalip Jr was first across the line with a time of 02:11.64 mins. Selangor's Norshahriel Haizat Ahmad Nazali won silver with 02:14.72 mins and Pahang's Muhammad Aim Mohamad Fauzi claimed bronze with 02:15.40 mins.

Brunei now have one gold and six bronze medals, with Md Yazid Yatimi Yusof winning the discus throw event on Wednesday.

In an exclusive interview yesterday, The Sultanate's chief secretariat Hj Md Rosfazilah Hj Yusly clarified that he did not say the country should aim for 13 medals from the 67 athletes competing in 13 sports.

"It was a misunderstanding. I didn't say that should be our aim. I only said that we have the potential to win in every sport," he said in a telephone interview.

"We don't expect to win medals in every sport - we expect our athletes to give a fight," he added.

He refused to comment on what he felt about the country's haul and was not willing to get The Brunei Times through to chef de mission Hj Rosmadee Hj Md Daud.

Courtesy from Brunei Times