Brunei Darussalam welcomed a new sporting hero after obstacle course racing (OCR) athlete Low Leng May bagged bronze in the highly-prestigious Asia Obstacle Sports Championship held at the Piazza Pavilion Bukit Jalil in Kuala Lumpur (KL), Malaysia recently.
The national talent clocked a personal best time of 1:51:95 to beat immediate rival Hong Kong’s Tung Mei Sze, who finished with a time of 2:25:65, for third place in the women’s open category.
The KL meet marked Leng May’s third competitive overseas appearance in OCR having joined the team last September as well as her first podium finish that also saw Janna Christel of the Philippines winning gold and her compatriot Clana Fontaine settled for silver.
Coming into the race, Leng May’s initial target was to complete the course but her progress to the semi-final boosted her confidence of achieving a historic bronze.
Looking ahead, Leng May is committed to rigorous training and aims to improve her efficiency and techniques for a speedier finish.
Meanwhile, Brunei Adventure Recreation Association (BARA) President Yasmin Patera was visibly pleased with the team’s performance in the competition.
“We are very proud of the results and performances of all our athletes. The course was the Southeast Asia 100-metre OCR course, but it was the first curved course we have ever encountered, presenting a unique challenge,” said Yasmin.
The president added, “Our athletes adapted remarkably well, demonstrating their resilience and skill.”
Yasmin, who was also team manager, heaped praise to Leng May’s podium finish calling her achievement a testament to the rigorous training and unwavering spirit of the team.
She concluded, “We look forward to continued success in future competitions.”
The continental meet, which was part of the World Obstacle schedule, attracted participation of elite athletes hailing from Malaysia, Hong Kong, Taiwan, United States, Iran, Indonesia, Australia, the Philippines and Brunei Darussalam.
Participating local athletes also included Hasnal Ahmad, Azizil Mosli, Hafizh Khalid, Azim Alidin, Izzat Murad, Gabrielle Chin and Sofiyah Wee.
The team was also accompanied by coaches, Pengiran Muhamad Rafie bin Pengiran Saiful Redzalli and Jessamine Juanita Yee Kuan Mey. – Fadhil Yunus
