JAMES Wong Tien Yu and Fraidden Dawan continued Malaysia’s gold-medal haul in the ASEAN Para Games at the National Aquatics Centre in Bukit Jalil on Wednesday (Sept 20).
Born without part of his left arm, 23-year-old James went on to smash the 12-year-old men’s (S8) 100m butterfly record set by fellow Malaysian D. Kulek at the 2005 Manila Para Games. James clocked 1:12.94s, thus erasing the old mark of 1:30.23s. Philippines Ernie Agat Gawilan won silver (1:19.86s) and Vietnam’s Nguyen Quang Vuong the bronze (1:23.63s).
Fraidden won his fifth men’s (S10) 400m freestyle gold since making his debut in 2005. The Bintulu-born Sarawakian clocked 4:48.35s and in the process set a new Games record. The old mark was 4:55.99 set in Singapore two years ago. Indonesian Tangkilisan Steven Sualang took silver (5:01.59s) and Thailand’s Suphat Punsiri the bronze (5:20.37s).
Another Malaysian swimmer, visually impaired Julius Jaranding who won silver in the men’s 50m breaststroke (SB13) on Tuesday, picked silver in the 100m breaststroke (1:20.51). Indonesian Marinus Melianus Yowei set a new Games record of 1:14.57 en route to the gold medal after breaking his old record of 1:14.79.
Malaysia’s tally in the pool stands at five gold, eight silver and six bronze medals. But it is the Indonesians (21-12-7), Vietnamese (11-13-9), Thais (4-6-15), Singaporeans (3-4-2) and Philippines (2-3-3) who continue to make waves.
Indonesia won another seven gold medals on Wednesday through Marinus (men’s 100m breaststroke SB13 – 01:14.57s (NGR), Muhammad Samsi (men’s 100m breaststroke SB14 – 01:16.26s (NGR), Jendi Pangabean (men’s 400m freestyle S9 – 04:58.35s), men’s 4x100m freestyle relay S14, men’s 4x100m freestyle relay14 (04:01.97s), Syuci indriani (women’s 100m breaststroke SB14 – 01:22.05 (NGR) and Nor Aimah (women’s 100m breaststroke SB7 – 01:56.05 (NGR).
Philippine tankers Gary Adornajo Begino and Ernie delivered golden medals. Begino touched the wall first in the 400m freestyle (S7) and Ernie in the 400m freestyle S8 category.
Singapore’s veteran para-swimmer Theresa Goh won her first gold in her pet event, the SB4 100m breaststroke, on Wednesday (Sept 20). The 30-year-old clocked 2:04.16 seconds to win, finishing ahead of Danh Thi My Thanh of Vietnam (2:28.24) and Nopparat Tanbut of Thailand (2:44.89).
