The Brunei contingent entered
the Manahan Stadium in Solo,
Indonesia,during the opening
ceremony of the 6th ASEAN
Para Games last night.
Picture: Infofoto

The 6th ASEAN Para Games opened last night with a colourful ceremony complete with fireworks display and cultural performances at the Manahan Stadium in Solo, Indonesia.

With over 10,000 spectators filling the stadium in Central Java, Indonesia's Vice-President Boediono officially opened the Games.

Sabar Gorky, an Indonesian climber who has reached the top of Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania and Mount Elbrus in Russia, was given the honours to light the cauldron.

A total of 1,296 athletes and officials are taking part in the sixth edition of the Games.

A total of 419 gold medals in 11 sports archery, athletics, badminton, bowling, chess, goalball, table tennis, tennis, swimming, volleyball and weightlifting are up for grabs at the Dec 12-22 competition.

The athletes are all physically challenged one way or another whereby some have impaired vision or mobility. Athletes with cerebral palsy and amputees are also vying for top honours at the tournament.

Meanwhile, the hosts bagged the first gold medal of the competition after they defeated Malaysia 2-1 in the final of men's team badminton at the Sritex Arena.

Thailand have also one gold to their names after their women's tennis team defeated Indonesia 3-0 in the final yesterday.

The Brunei athletes and officials were the first to arrive for the Games on Sunday.

The Sultanate is being represented by a 37-member delegation with 24 special needs athletes making up the contingent.

Twenty will participate in athletics events, two in ten-pin bowling and two in chess with the rest comprising the coaches and officials.

Brunei have participated in every edition of the Games, considered to be the biggest multi-sport disability event for special needs athletes in the ASEAN region, since 2001.

The last ASEAN Para Games in Kuala Lumpur in 2009 saw the Bruneian athletes return with their best results of nine gold, five silver and eight bronze medals.

The Games under the regulation of the ASEAN Para Sports Federation (APSF) has traditionally been held after each SEA Games by the host country.

A total of 10 APSF members Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Singapore, the Philippines and Vietnam, plus Timor Leste are participating in this year's Games.

Thailand, who won the last three editions of the tournament, amassed 157 gold, 75 silver and 57 bronze medals in 2009.

Courtesy from Brunei Times