Para Sukma: S’wak runner Andy Lau wins 1,500m T12 gold, shatters 14-year-old record

KUCHING (Sept 23): Sarawak’s Andy Lau Sie Hui clinched the gold medal in the 21st Para Malaysia Games (Para Sukma) 2024 men’s 1,500m T12 (Visual Impairment) category with a record-breaking time of five minutes 19.82 seconds.

Andy broke the previous record of 5:20.53 held by Sarawak’s Ranggong Unggang, which was set at the 2010 Para Sukma.

Johor’s Muhammad Fahmi Daniel Roslan won the silver, while Sarawak’s Simon Etam Emang claimed the bronze.

“I’m very pleased and I didn’t expect this. In the last Para Sukma, yes, I won gold for the 1,500m, but my body wasn’t in 100 per cent condition like it is today,” Andy told reporters after receiving his gold medal at the Sarawak Stadium here today.

“I’ve been in a training camp for over a month, so I was very well prepared, both physically and mentally.”

Andy, who has been competing in Para Sukma since he was 18, is a multiple gold medal winner.

“Now I’m 30 years old. Including today, I’ve won about five gold medals in Para Sukma,” he shared.

The telephone operator at an energy development company here reflected on the challenges he faced leading up to this year’s competition.

“Because I’m visually impaired and not a full-time athlete I work office hours from 8am to 5pm; I have to find time to train.

“Sometimes I practise in my own room or do easy runs and slow jogs at the park, because I’m worried about bumping into things while running during competitions,” he explained.

Andy will also be competing in the 400m and 800m events.

In other athletics events, Sarawak’s Mohammad Hishamudin Razali and Leeyendy Jisen Abdullah won bronze medals in the Men’s 1,500m T36 category and Men’s javelin F11 respectively.