Leaping to victory: Danish Amzar (back row, fourth from left) with Rajasingam (on his right) and the other NS team members at Stadium Tuanku Abdul Rahman.
DANISH Amzar Muhamad Fadil, 14, believes he can go far.
The SMK Tunku Ampuan Durah student said he is determined to work hard to achieve his dream of being a Para Asean gold medallist in the long jump.
The Negri Sembilan athlete won the gold medal and set a new meet record of 5.51m at the Special Education MSSM Athletics Championships held at Stadium Tuanku Abdul Rahman and Tunku Kurshiah College from October 23 to 25.
His achievement eclipsed the previous distance set by Muhammad Murtadho Nasrullah in the boys’ Under-15 hearing disabled category.
The win was particularly memorable for Danish Amzar, who was the silver medallist at last year’s MSSM meet in Bukit Jalil.
Muhammad Murtadho from Pahang had won the gold then.
This year’s long jump category for the deaf was special as the top five jumpers had all surpassed the 2022 mark.
Muhammad Murtadho jumped a distance of 5.31m, while Selangor’s Putra Muhammad Darwsy Fadli leaped 5.23m to take the bronze.
In fourth place was Sarawakian Brandan Levis, who jumped 5.20m, and in fifth spot was Azreen Naquiddin Mohd Khirruddin from the Federal Territory of Putrajaya with an effort of 4.91m.
“I followed my coaches Mohammad Hariz Mohd Kodri’s and Muhammad Firdaus Zahari’s instructions closely.
“With regular training, added with stamina, speed and endurance workouts twice a week, I managed to jump better and further at this MSSM meet.
“This victory is the sweetest as I set the championship record in my hometown of Seremban in front of my family and friends,” Danish Amzar said in a press release.
Negri Sembilan Para Athletics Association (POPNS) vice president S. Rajasingam said he was delighted with his charge’s exploits in the field event.
“For the past fours years, POPNS has been planning and conducting talent identification programmes in all the districts in Negri Sembilan.
“This meet, however, has given us a head start to focus on disabled athletes who will go far, as they are already in the top three positions of their respective track and field events,” said Rajasingam.
At the close of the event in Port Dickson, the Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur bagged seven gold, eight silver and six bronze medals to top the overall visually disabled category.
Kelantan won the overall title for learning difficulties with 11 gold, four silver and six bronze medals.
Kedah emerged the overall champions in the hearing disabled category with seven golds, six silvers and one bronze in this category.
Also claiming the overall team champions title, the northern state brought home an impressive haul of 17 gold, 16 silver and seven bronze medals.
