Three cheers for Jong (SEPTEMBER 17 - 23)
Yee Khie smashes Games record to lift the gold
JONG Yee Khie saved thee day when he won Malaysia’s only powerlifting gold with a new Asean Para Games record.
The 29-year-old Sarawakian managed to liftt 210kg in the 97kg category to shatter the previous mark of 200kg at the Malaysia International Trade and Exhibition Centre (MiTEC) yesterday.
Yee Khie tried to lift 215kg in his third attempt but failed.
But to his credit, Yee Khie started by lifting 202kg – which already eclipsed the Games record. That clearly rattled his opponents.
Indonesian Atmaji Priambodo could only lift 175kg to win the silver while Thai Chinnaphop Khamdam could only manage 150kg for the bronze.
This is Yee Khie’s third gold in three Games, having also won in Myanmar in 2013 and in Singapore in 2015.
“I knew I had a good chance to win a third gold. I was confident.
“My personal best is 212kg. It would have been good if I had surpassed it.
“This will spur me to work harder and aim for the major events next year like the Commonwealth Games and Asian Games.
“I want to train harder when I get back home,” said Yee Khie, who is from Kuching.
Yee Khie’s coach Jamil Adam was satisfied with the gold and record.
“The whole team was down after we failed to win any gold in the earlier categories.
“So I just told Yee Khie to get the gold and not worry about anything.
“Overall, we are happy with the performance of our lifters. But we have to admit that the Indonesians, especially their women lifters, have improved a lot.
“We have a young squad and this will be a good lesson,” he said.
Malaysia also won two silvers and two bronzes.
Azri Azman ( men’s 107kg) and Nor Faridza Mortadza (women’s 86kg) delivered the silvers while Faiz Hussien ( men’s 107kg) and Sharifah Raudzah ( women’s 86kg) bagged the bronzes.