KUALA LUMPUR – National para athlete Eddy Bernard has set aside returning home to visit his family as he dedicates himself to the challenge of winning gold medals at the upcoming 12th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) Para Games (APG) in Cambodia this June.
The 22-year-old said that the sacrifice would not be in vain as he intends to bring back a golden harvest to his family in Beluran, Sabah, adding that the last time he returned home was during last Christmas.
He has since then been undergoing full training to prepare for the APG that will take place in Phnom Penh from June 3 to 9.
“Not going home is not an excuse for me not to win something for the country, and I do not want to go home empty-handed to meet my family,” he said during training at the National Sports Council Mini Stadium in Bukit Jalil here this evening.
The long jump and F44 (lower limb disability) 100m gold medallist is optimistic that he would be able to perform well at his third appearance in the biennial Games.
“It is my mission to defend my gold medals over there (in Cambodia),” he said, adding that his success in Cambodia would motivate him in the 2023 Para Athletics Championship in France in July and the 2022 Para Asian Games in Hangzhou, China this October.
The national para athletics team contributed eight out of the 36 gold medals Malaysia won at the 11th APG held in Solo, Indonesia last year. – Bernama, May 12, 2023
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