PARA SUKMA: BARTHOLOMEW DREAMS OF REBUILDING ANCESTRAL HOME AFTER DEFENDING SHOT PUT GOLD

KUCHING, Sept 26 (Bernama) -- Sabah shot-putter Bartholomew Marius, who successfully defended his gold medal at the 2024  Para  Malaysia Games (Para SUKMA XXI), dreams of helping his mother rebuild their family home left by his late father in their home state.

Bartholomew shared that his dream could become a reality if he receives incentives from his home state following his gold medal win in the F33 shot put event (physical disability), adding to his previous gold from the 2022 edition.

“My father has passed on, but he left behind the ancestral home for our family, an old house. So, I want to help my mother rebuild it. As the eldest of three siblings, I feel it’s my responsibility to make things easier for my mother and siblings,” he told Bernama today.

At the event held at Sarawak Stadium, Bartholomew clinched the gold medal with a throw of 5.94 metres (m), ahead of Perak’s Marshall Lu Canner, who threw 5.25m, and Hilman Zafri Zulkifli of Selangor, who secured bronze with a 5.08m throw.

Meanwhile, in the T11 long jump (physical disability), Penang’s Sulaiman Nor Azizan won the gold medal with a leap of 4.13m, surpassing Kedah’s Mohd Fitry Abd Ghan, who jumped 4.05m, while the bronze medal went to Sarawak’s Jeffery Ajang (3.26m).

Sulaiman described his victory as a stroke of luck, as he didn’t have time for proper preparation and only managed to train twice before the games due to his busy schedule working as a masseur in Selangor.

“I didn’t have the chance to return to Penang for training because I was earning a living. I believe this win was pure luck,” he said.

-- BERNAMA