Jonathan eyeing gold at Tokyo Para Games
National athlete Jonathan Wong is all geared up to face the challenge as he looks to deliver the desired result in the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games.
KOTA KINABALU: National athlete Jonathan Wong is all geared up to face the challenge as he looks to deliver the desired result in the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games.
To be exact, the 28-year-old long jumper has pledged his best to win the gold medal.
Jonathan made the remark upon returning from Dubai on Monday night, where he received a hero's welcome following his silver medal outing at the World Para Athletics Championship.
Competing in the T12 category for visually impaired athletes, the lanky Jonathan recorded a distance of 7.06m to finish behind Doniyor Saliev of Uzbekistan in a new games record of 7.44m while Kamil Aliyev of Azerbaijan was in third with 7.00m.
More importantly, Jonathan's feat in finishing among the top four in the event secured him the Paralympics ticket.
"I'm glad I managed to qualify for Tokyo," said Jonathan when met at the Kota Kinabalu International Airport.
"I will train harder for this (Paralympics) competition...my target in Tokyo is (that) I will try to get the gold medal," added Jonathan.
Jonathan admitted the tough competitions he is likely to face towards achieving the goal, but added nothing was impossible.
"My current result puts me in second in the ranking and (to get) to number one ranking is a bit tough...however, I will try my best to target for first place.
"If you believe (in yourself), you can achieve it," said Jonathan who was also a gold medallist at the World Athletic Grand Prix in France in August.
Having said that, Jonathan revealed that his immediate target was to defend his gold in the ASEAN Para Games in Manila, the Philippines in January next year.
Meanwhile, Youth and Sports Minister Phoong Jin Zhe vowed to give his best in supporting any athletes in the search for a first Sabahan medallist in Paralympics.
He said, at present, Jonathan is Sabah's best bet to win a medal based on his track records at various major international championships.
"We all feel very proud and want to congratulate Jonathan. We are extremely happy and proud to see and hear the success of Jonathan.
"I think definitely he will be a role model for the youth in Sabah, and in particular his fellow athletes, to achieve excellence.
"Now that he has qualified for the 2020 Paralympics Games, he has the chance to do something Sabahan athletes have not achieved previously.
"If he were to return with a medal of any colours, he will be the first Sabahan to do so in the Paralympic Games.
"On behalf of the State Government and my Ministry, we hope Jonathan can continue to work hard, show dedication in training to make sure he will deliver good result in Tokyo...I'm sure he will.
"We are not putting unnecessary pressure on him. The most important thing is that he gives his best...the State Government and all Sabahans are fully behind him," he said while adding the ministry would look into the incentive to be given to the winners.
Towards this end, Phoong hoped that more Sabah athletes would qualify for the Paralympics.
"We hope the good news will not stop at Jonathan. We will give encouragement and hope that more Sabah athletes will qualify for the Tokyo Games," he said.
It is learnt swimmer Brenda Annelia Larry, who has beaten the qualifying mark for Tokyo 2020, and former world parabadminton singles champion Didin Taresoh are the two potential Sabah athletes to be part of the national contingent to the Paralympics.
Also present to welcome Jonathan were Youth and Sports Ministry Assistant Minister Arunarnsin Taib, permanent secretary Mohd Yusrie Abdullah, Sabah Sports Council director Mohd Asneh Mohd Noor and assistant directors Valerie Wong and Alissa Alha, Federal Youth and Sports Department of Sabah director Mohd Soufi Mohd Ibrahim, relatives, friends and fans.