Aim for higher and better

BARON Pierre de Coubertin, the founder of the modern Olympic Games, once famously said: "It's not the winning, it's the taking part (in the Olympics ) that counts." But, having been given the opportunity to compete at the highest level with the world's best athletes Brunei's three representatives at the on-going London Games should strife to show the world that they are not there just for the fun and autographs. Rather they would be aiming for new personal best and national records.

National swimmer Anderson Lim did just that. The first Bruneian in action at the Games, Lim swam his 200m freestyle around 5.20pm (Brunei time) yesterday. Though he finished last in Heat 1, the 16-year-old swimmer bettered his personal best time and rewrote the national record, too shaving off almost three seconds from his previous best.

Clocking 2:02.26 in his heat yesterday, Lim totally destroyed his previous best which was also the national record of 2:05.19 which he recorded just last month. There was no medal for Brunei, but Lim's new national record felt like one.

It was a good start for Team Brunei and mission accomplished for Lim. Now the baton will be passed to Maziah Mahusin and Ak Hafiy Tajuddin Pg Rositi.

Maziah Brunei's first female athlete in the Olympics and the country's flag bearer during Friday's opening ceremony will be up next. Competing in the women's 400m, the national runner will take to the track on August 3 (Friday). With her personal best at 1:00.32, Maziah will surely be aiming for a sub-60s in London.

Ak Hafiy will 'close' the Games for Brunei running his 400m event on August 4 (Saturday).

The lanky athlete will look to better his time of 49.23 seconds. Lim has shown the way for his teammates, so let's just heed the Olympics motto citius, altius, fortius and go faster, higher and stronger!