100m runner does Brunei proud at Asian Para Games.

National para athlete An Nur Haiyyu Yusof (pic) clinched the first medal for Brunei at the Asian Para Games in Guangzhou, China, yesterday.

The 25-year-old track and field para athlete clocked 15.03 seconds in the T12 women's 100 metres to grab a silver medal at Aoti Main Stadium yesterday morning.

The time also erased her personal best of 15.22s set at the 5th Asean Para Games in Kuala Lumpur last year.

"I felt so happy when I reached the finish line and got second place. It made all the training I had undergone worthwhile," said An Nur Haiyyu in a statement to The Brunei Times yesterday.

"I also achieved my target of breaking my personal best and, at the same time, got a silver. I thank my family, coach and the officers for their prayers, support and guidance," she added..

"Now, I want to break my personal record and win a medal again in the 200m."

Hosts China clinched gold via Zhu Daqing (13.42s) and Wimarshika Katudampege of Sri Lanka took bronze (17.42s).

Meanwhile, Alihan Muda threw a personal best in the F34 men's shot put with a distance of 8.59 metres, erasing his former best of 8.10m set during the New Delhi Commonwealth Games in October.

Unfortunately it was not enough for a podium finish which was dominated by the Middle Eastern countries.

Iranian Salman Abbariki set an Asian record after a throw of 10.47m to claim gold, while compatriot Siamak Saleh Farajzadeh took home the bronze (9.05m).

Mohammad Almehairi recorded a personal best of 9.98m to clinch a silver medal for the United Arab Emirates.

Sibuang Hj Kalong, who suffered a waist injury that caused him to foul all three attempts in the F11 men's discus on Tuesday, returned to action in the F12 men's shot put and threw 6.73m to rank 10th of 11.

Iraq notched the top two spots via Mahdi Al Saadi (10.7m) and Hameed Hassain (10.32m). Lee Sheng Chow grabbed bronze for Malaysia with his throw of 9.37m.

"Overall, their performances had been very positive where one of the athletes, An Nurhaiyyu, got a silver and broke her personal best," said Brunei chef de mission Hj Rosmadee Hj Md Daud yesterday.

"Alihan also managed to break his personal best set in New Delhi. Unfortunately for Sibuang, he had not been able to perform as expected because he had not fully recovered," he added.

The cold weather in Guangzhou proved to be a problem when it compounded Sibuang's spasm on the left side of his lower back, which he developed during his last training in the Sultanate.

The spasm prevented the 43-year-old para athlete from moving freely to execute his full turn for a throw.

Despite the setback, Team Brunei will continue their fight for medals in the Chinese metropolis in four more events today.

An Nur Haiyyu will step onto the tracks once more for the T12 women's 200m semi-finals.

Joining her in the track events will be Martin Dawat, who will compete in Heat Four of the T12 men's 100m.

The 25-year-old para athlete, who set a personal best of 25.22s in the T12 men's 200m on Tuesday, needs to place in the Top Two for a berth in the semi-finals later in the evening.

Over in the field events, Rosli Hj Hastan and John Vianni Anak Chandau will aim to make an impact in the F44 javelin throw.

Rosli and John Vianni were the gold and silver medallists respectively in the discipline in Kuala Lumpur last year.

Courtesy from Brunei Times