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NEWS & EVENTS
Lone para-athlete leaves for Delhi Games
Thursday, 30th September 2010


Para-sport secretariat Hj
Rosmadee Hj Md Daud (L), Alihan
Muda (C) and para-sport coach Hj
Wahid Ismail before their departure
at the Brunei International Airport
yesterday. Picture: BT/Amir Amin

The Sultanate's sole para-athlete Alihan Muda yesterday departed the Brunei International Airport in Berakas for the 19th Commonwealth Games (CWG) in New Delhi with full intent on making the country proud.

"This will be my first time participating in the CWG. Unlike the others which I have participated, this is one of the biggest international competitions. I hope to win and I'll try my best in an effort to secure a medal," said the 37-year-old.

Accompanied by para-sport secretariat Hj Rosmadee Hj Md Daud and para-sport coach Hj Wahid Ismail, Alihan will compete in the men's shot put F34 event in the Oct 3-14 tournament.

Alihan is not a stranger in the field of para-sports. He returned with a gold and two silver medals from the 5th Asean Para Games, held at Kuala Lumpur last year.

He threw the iron ball 8.67 metres in the men's shot put F35 event to capture gold and created a new personal record which erased his old mark of 8.62m set in Thailand.

Alihan's silver medals came from the men's discus throw F35 with a throw of 23.32m and men's javelin F35 (19.11m).

In the 2008 edition held in Korat, Alihan won two gold medals (men's discus F35 and men's shot put F35) and a bronze (men's javelin F35).

Despite facing the unknown, Hj Rosmadee maintains that they will face the opposition head-on.

"This is the first time that the Games are holding para-sports. So the records have not been set yet. It will also be different for Alihan because this is a different category than the ones he competed in before (seated instead of standing). Nonetheless we will try our best to give a fight," said the para-sport secretariat.

Alihan will join 11 lawnbowlers, who had already departed on Sunday, to bid for the Sultanate's first medal in the CWG since its participation in 1990.

Present to bid the three men farewell yesterday was Hj Mohamad Panglima Asgar Dato Paduka Hj Abdullah, the director of youth and sports of the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports and also senior officials from the department.

Courtesy from Brunei Times