Bonnie poses with his gold medal after returning home yesterday.
KUCHING: A national para powerlifter from Sarawak proved that the sky is the limit, after breaking the World Junior IPC Powerlifting record in Dubai recently.
Bonnie Bunyau Gustin clinched the gold medal at the 8th Para Powerlifting World Cup held from Feb 25 to March 4.
Competing in the junior category up to 65 kg, the 17-year-old surpassed his personal best to lift 141kg and broke the record of 127kg held by Amir Sajjad Youssefi Zadeh of Iran.
“He trains very hard and we are proud of his achievement,” team coach Mohammad Sahibullah Ambi told The Borneo Post upon their arrival at Kuching International Airport (KIA) yesterday.
“Bonnie is still new but his ability to break the junior world record is something very impressive, with his current performance he is at the top of his game and that I foresee a good future in his career,” he added.
Bonnie was among the three national para lifters from Sarawak who won medals at the championship.
Norfariza Mortadza from Miri lifted 85kg to win the silver in the women’s 86kg and above category while Jong Yee Khie took another silver in the men’s open 107kg event with a 197kg performance.
Other Sarawakians in the national team were Bibiana Ahmad and Sona Agon while Jamil Adam was the chief coach.
The Para Powerlifting World Cup in Dubai is one of the qualifying events for the World Para Powerlifting Championship to be held in Mexico this Sept.
Meanwhile, Bonnie has already set his sights on representing Malaysia in this year’s ASEAN Para Games and the Paralympics in Tokyo in 2020.
“I’ll give it all my best to improve in making everyone proud,” he pledged.
The athletes and officials from Sarawak touched down at the airport here at 2pm yesterday and were warmly received by family members.