Brunei invited to C'wealth Games

BRUNEI has been officially invited to compete in the 2010 Commonwealth Games.

An official at the Brunei Darussalam National Olympic Council (BNOC) said that the Sultanate was given the invite at the end of the previous Games in Melbourne, Australia, in 2006.

The 2010 Commonwealth Games is scheduled from Oct 3-14 in New Delhi, India.

"We have been invited to take part in the Games in October this year ... we received the invitation at the end of the last Games," said the official.

"That is the normal process (being invited after each Games)," added the official who wished to remain anonymous.

As with other sporting events, the decision to send a contingent to India will depend on the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports.

If Brunei does send a team to India, it will be the sixth time the country will compete in the Games.

According to the Commonwealth Games Federation's website, Brunei became a member of the Commonwealth in 1984 and established a National Olympic Committee (BNOC) in the same year.

However, it was not until the 1990 edition in Auckland, New Zealand, that the Sultanate competed in its first Games.

Since then, Brunei has competed in every edition of the tournament but has yet to return with a medal.

The country was only represented in lawn bowls at the 2006 edition in Melbourne.

Led by ex-national coach Md Aziz Hj Maswadi and manager Mohd Noor Hj Abddulah, the lawn bowlers competed in three events: men's singles, men's pairs and men's triples.

Hj Naim Brahim finished 16th out of 22 competitors in the men's singles event, the country's best finish at the Games.

Abd Rahman Hj Omar and Pg Md Salleh Chuchu Pg Hj Tuah placed 17th in a field of 21 competitors in the men's pairs, while in the men's triples Ampuan Ahad Ampuan Kassim, Hj Osman Hj Yahya and Lokman Hj Md Salleh finished last in the field of 21 entries.The Brunei Times