NAKHON RATCHASIMA, Jan 24 (Bernama) -- Malaysia’s para powerlifting icon Bonnie Bunyau Gustin turned what he described as a “warm-up” outing into a golden statement after clinching the men’s up to 80 kilogramme (kg) title at the ASEAN Para Games (APG) Thailand 2025 today.
Bonnie produced a dominant lift of 201kg to secure gold, comfortably outclassing Thailand’s Marasri Thongsa, who settled for silver with 173kg, as the Sarawak-born lifter asserted his authority on the APG stage.
Beyond the gold medal, the victory carried special significance for Bonnie, who shared the international competition platform with his elder brother, Bryan Junency Gustin, for the first time by turning the moment into a family milestone.
“I felt extremely happy today. This was my first gold medal at the APG, and to be on the same stage with my brother made it even more special,” said the 26-year-old.
Bonnie explained that his move up to the 80kg category was a strategic decision, with his body weight already at the upper limit of the 72kg class.
“My body weight was already at the upper limit of the 72kg category, so moving to 80kg made more sense. We are still discussing with the coaches and the association whether I will stay in this category,” he added.
Bonnie described the APG competition as part of his long-term preparation rather than a peak performance, using the event to gradually build his lifting numbers ahead of tougher challenges.
“There will be more pressure at the Commonwealth Games and the Asian Games in Nagoya later on. This was just the beginning,” he said.
Bonnie’s gold was complemented by Bryan’s silver medal in the men’s up to 88kg event, where the latter registered a personal best lift of 195kg, finishing behind Indonesia’s Jaya Andika Eka.
Bryan said he narrowly missed out on a historic sibling double gold after his final attempt was ruled a no-lift due to technical issues.
“It was almost there. I felt a sting on my right side during the last lift, and the form was slightly off,” he said.
Despite missing gold, Bryan described sharing the podium with his younger brother as a proud and emotional moment for the family.
-- BERNAMA
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