(Top) Dato Paduka Hj Sa Bali
Abas (L), the Permanent
Secretary of the Ministry of
Culture, Youth and Sports,
hands over the Brunei flag to
Noel Mendiola in Berakas
yesterday.(Above) Dato
Paduka Hj Sa Bali Abas (L),
the Permanent Secretary of
the Ministry of Culture, Youth
and Sports, being introduced
to one of the special athletes
yesterday.Pictures: BT/ Yee
Chun Leong

Brunei are hoping to produce yet another good performance at the Special Olympics Summer World Games which will be held in Greece from June 19 to July 5.

The 18-strong national contingent including six officials and led by head of delegation Noel Mendiola left for the Games from the Brunei International Airport in Berakas yesterday.

Present to bid the team farewell and hand the national flag to Mendiola was the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports Dato Paduka Hj Sa Bali Abas.

The athletes set to fly the Brunei flag are: Muhammad Fhadillah Hj Morsidi, Lim Chow Ann, Shi Wei Koay, Li Chun Gid, Aussrine Hj Adanan, Saifullah Kahar, Mardiana Mohd Yussap, Dk Nuramaliyana Pg Hj Mohamad, Muhammad Hafiq Zulkifli, Abdul Hakim Hj Mohd Ali, Siti Nur Afifah Abdul Sahak and Nurhamraa' Chaine.

They are pupils of the Special Education Unit, Pusat Ehsan Al-Ameerah Al-Hajjah Maryam and Pusat Bahagia. They will compete in bocce and athletics.

Brunei were among the 164 countries and regions that participated at the previous edition of the Special Olympics in Shanghai, China, back in 2007.

The Brunei contingent of 22 athletes and 10 officials, who competed in bocce, athletics and football, returned home with a total medal haul of three gold, four silver and nine bronze medals four years ago.

"We want to maintain the same medal tally or at least win three gold medals. We have been working more on bocce as athletics will be a lot more competitive," said Mendiola, who is also the SOBD Sports Director, in an interview with The Brunei Times yesterday.

"We have been training well as well as competing internationally and nationally for bocce and we're looking forward to winning most of our medals from the event," he added.

Pg May Fazura Pg Hj Radin Hanafi, the SOBD Family Director, believes that this is a great opportunity for the special athletes.

"This is a once in a lifetime opportunity for them. They have been training all year round and started intensive training three months ago. This trip will also make them more independent," said Pg May Fazura.

SOBD held a fund-raising event at the end of April and received a timely boost in the form of a donation worth $10,000 from BIBD (Bank Islam Brunei Darussalam) for the Games.

Courtesy from Brunei Times