HANGZHOU, Oct 23 — The first day of the 2022 Para Asian Games here saw the Malaysian contingent open its medal tally on a promising note with one gold, two silver and three bronze.

The country’s first medal was contributed by swimmer Muhammad Nur Syaiful Zulkafli, who won gold in the 100m men’s breaststroke SB4 (physical impairment) event at the Aquatic Sports Arena here, today.

Another national representative in the event, Zy Lee Kher won the bronze.

Nur Syaiful, who also entered the men’s 50m freestyle SB5 event as the defending champion, however, finished fourth, with the host nation’s athletes dominating the podium.

At the Chun’ An Jieshou Sports Centre Velodrome, the track cycling squad also brought cheer to the Malaysian camp by picking up two silvers.

The first silver was won through the men’s 4,000m individual pursuit B (visual impairment) event by Mohd Khairul Hazwan Wahab assisted by Muhammad Khairul Adha Rasol.

The quartet of Mohamad Yusof Hafizi Shaharuddin, Zuhairie Ahmad Tarmizi, Muhammad Hafiz Jamali and Muhammad Adi Raimie Amizazahan won the second silver in the 750m mixed team sprint event C1-C5 (limb deficiencies)

Malaysia also won bronze in the women’s 3,000m individual pursuit B event through Nur Azlia Syafinaz Mohd Zais who was assisted by Nurul Suhada Zainal.

At the Huang Long Sports Centre Stadium, female shot put athlete Noor Imanina Idris became the first individual to contribute a medal to the athletics camp after winning bronze in the shot put F20 (intellectual impairment) event.

The spotlight tomorrow will be on the athletics camp to win at least three gold medals, namely through Muhammad Ziyad Zolkefli (men’s shot put F20), Datuk Abdul Latif Romly (men’s long jump T20 — intellectual impairment) and Mohamad Ridzuan Mohamad Puzi (men’s 100m T36 - physical impairment). — Bernama