The Department of Youth and Sports yesterday confirmed that Brunei will be taking part in this year's Paralympics.

Though the Sultanate has a rich history of competing in regional meets such as the Asian Para Games and ASEAN Para Games, the London Paralympics will mark the country's first appearance at the world's biggest stage where they will be joined by 15 other debutants at the Aug 29-Sept 9 tournament.

"We have nominated a few athletes already ... We've been planning for this for years," the department's acting deputy director Hj Rosmadee Hj Md Daud told The Brunei Times.

"They must meet the minimum qualifying standards (MQS) set by the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) or be ranked well enough to qualify

"Some of our athletes meet the MQS, but are not world-ranked. There are some qualifying tournaments still ongoing so maybe we'll have a better idea who's going in early June," he added.

The country's chef de mission to the Para Games which was held in Solo, Indonesia, after the Nov 11-22 Southeast Asian (SEA) Games Hj Rosmadee was already eyeing the Paralympics when met during the team's return from Indonesia.

One athlete who is sure to have already booked his ticket to London is Shari Hj Juma'at, the world's No1 ranked para-athlete in the javelin F55 field wheelchair event.

Shari who also enjoys a world-ranking of No 12 in the discus throw F55 event according to the latest IPC rankings is among the country's brightest medal hopes in any tournament he enters.

Shari won the javelin F55 event at the Para Games with a distance of 26.22 metres, a new Games record.

The father of four won silver in the same event at the 2010 Asian Para Games in Guangzhou, China, and grabbed gold at last year's Arafura Games in Darwin, Australia.

The IPC website also lists four other national para-athletes as having world-rankings; John Vianni Anak Chandau, Razali Subi, Rosli Hj Hastan (pic) and Norhensan Hj Mataha.

Norhensan is the next best-ranked para-athlete, ranked fifth in the women's Discus Throw F12 event.

The Press Association reported that all 165 participating countries have been allocated slots either through MQS, bipartite agreements or via wild cards.

Though national coach Lim Chee Wee said that his charges have been training five times a week in preparation for the Paralympics, like Hj Rosmadee, he too was uncertain as to who exactly will be travelling to London.

"I'm not sure how the athletes will be selected ... I think it's the Top 16 or Top 20," said Lim, a former national athlete.

"We had a week's break after the Para Games and we've been training for the Paralympics ever since," added Lim, who is still the national shot-put record holder despite ending his career in 1999.

Courtesy from Brunei Times