BONNIE EYES PARALYMPIC GOLD HAT-TRICK AT LA28

PETALING JAYA, May 14 (Bernama) – National powerlifting ace Bonnie Bunyau Gustin appears far from satisfied with his current haul of two Paralympic gold medals.

The strongman from Sarawak is instead determined to defend his men’s 72-kilogramme (kg) gold at the 2028 Paralympic Games in Los Angeles (LA28), potentially becoming the first Malaysian para-athlete to clinch a historic hat-trick of gold medals at the prestigious Games.

“I’ve been thinking about winning (Paralympic gold) three times in a row, but I have to be cautious of other competitors and, most importantly, stay in top form,” he said when met after the 2024 National Sports Awards (ASN) ceremony here yesterday.

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At ASN 2024, the world record holder in the men’s 72kg category was named National Paralympic Sportsman of the Year for the third time, following his wins in 2021 and 2023, thanks to his stellar performance in securing a second consecutive gold at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games.

Meanwhile, he is currently focused on two major tournaments this year – the 2025 Beijing World Cup from June 22 to 25, followed by the Cairo 2025 Elite World Championships from October 11 to 18.

The 25-year-old also shared that the recovery of the shoulder injury he endured while defending his gold in Paris has now reached 80 percent.

Bonnie also expressed pride in being named National Paralympic Sportsman once again at the ASN 2024 and hopes the recognition will fuel his motivation to continue excelling in the sport.

-- BERNAMA