Cyclists deliver 1st medal MALAYSIA GAMES

KEEPING true to their word, the national cycling team won bronze at the Malaysia Games (SUKMA) yesterday the success in the 72.1km team time trial in Temerloh, Pahang, providing Brunei its first medal at the 15th edition of the meet.

Clocking in at 1:40.53, Brunei's Azmi Abd Hadzid, Ahmad Rifa'ie Hj Johor, Muhammad I'maadi Abd Aziz and Muhd Syazwi Azhar Muhd Hairolrani were just 1:41 adrift of silver medalists Negri Sembilan.

Negri Sembilan finished on 1:39.12 while Terengganu won gold on 1:34.38.

After saying there was a high chance that Brunei would finish on the podium in one of their six events, national coach Yafiz Jamaludin can be relieved his team have once again proved themselves after winning two bronze medals during the last time Brunei competed in SUKMA during the 2010 edition in Melaka.

But speaking to The Brunei Times yesterday, the Malaysian felt that a silver medal was well within their reach.

"We could have won silver but because we were caught in traffic in the middle of the race, our speed dropped to between 32 to 35 km/h before that it was 48 to 49," said Yafiz.

"But whatever it is, we are still grateful to have won a medal.

"Hopefully the prayers from the people of Brunei will help us win medals tomorrow (today) and hopefully it'll be gold," added the coach, who will see his charges compete in the individual road race and team road race today.

The country will also compete in the individual time trial tomorrow and the criterium on Saturday.

The team competed in the cross-country event last Saturday but failed to finish with a medal. I'maadi was the best Bruneian finisher at 15th, followed by Ahmad Rifa'ie (20th), Syazwi (22nd) and Abdul Hafiz Surawadi Md Tamin (23rd).

The country's pencak silat team also saw action yesterday, with Zainorarif Zaini beating Sarawak's Md Norbin Ahmad 4-1 to advance to the semi-final of the Class D (60kg - 65kg) event and Nurul Amal Maziah Ibrahimnor dispatching Kelantan's Asmida Nazirah 5-0 to move into the semi-final of the Class A (45-50 kg) event.

Meanwhile in sepak takraw, the regu team lost out to Sarawak and Perak.

Brunei fell 3-1 to Sarawak (7-15, 15-11, 12-15, 6-15) and 3-0 to Perak (11-15, 10-15, 10-15).

In athletics, Md Izzat Abd Majid's time of 11.78s was not enough to get him into the 100m final.The Brunei Times