THE Brunei contingent, who finished 10th with 10 medals overall one gold, one silver and eight bronze medals at the recently-concluded 25th SEA Games in Laos arrived home last night to a hero's welcome. Hundreds of fans and family members waited for their arrival at the Brunei International Airport in Berakas.

Among the athletes to arrive via the RBA flight was silat exponent Hj Md Khairul Bahrin Hj Duraman, who delivered the Sultanate's only gold when he topped the men's tunggal event on Dec 14.

Hj Md Khairul scored 473 points while Thailand's Sarawut Comepoon earned 447 points to grab the silver. Youthiisinh Phout Thalaksa of Laos won the bronze with 432 points.

"I was expecting to win the gold medal because the two other competitors are newcomers," the 25-year-old Hj Md Khairul, who won the bronze in the 2003 Vietnam SEA Games.

It took Hj Md Khairul 10 years as a member of the national team to finally achieve his dream. "I'm so happy to win my first gold medal and I'm also proud to win Brunei's first gold at the SEA Games,"

Wushu gave Brunei their lone silver, coming from Faustina Woo Wai Sii and Lee Ying Shi in the women's Duilian (doubles broadsword and spear) event.

The bronze medals, meanwhile, came from karate-do (four), silat (three) and wushu (one).

Courtesy from Brunei Times