Next in line to shoulder the burden
of winning Brunei an Asian Games
medal in China will be Pg Mohd
Nasir Pg Anak Ja'afar (pic) and he
will not be alone the Bruneian will
be accompanied by his trusty
steed Rudolf Z for the equestrian
Individual Jumping event at the
Guangzhou Equestrian Venue
tomorrow.Picture: BT

The first half of the 16th Asian Games is already over but Brunei are still seeking for their first medal in Guangzhou, China.

Three of eight Brunei athletes have already gone down fighting in their respective disciplines, so the responsibility will fall on the remaining soldiers to march on in China.

Next in line to shoulder the burden will be Pg Mohd Nasir Pg Anak Ja'afar and he will not be alone the Bruneian will be accompanied by his trusty steed Rudolf Z for the equestrian Individual Jumping event at the Guangzhou Equestrian Venue tomorrow.

Prior to the qualifiers, the 11-year-old Zangersheide gelding will undergo the "1st Horse Inspection" this morning, followed by the "Training Competition" session in the afternoon. The latter is for the riders to get accustomed to the match venue, which will be used for the two qualifying sessions tomorrow.

Points collected from the respective qualifying rounds will determine whether Pg Mohd Nasir and Rudolf Z will make the cut for the final round on Wednesday.

The 2009 Merdeka Team Cup champion burst onto the regional scene three years ago when he became the first Bruneian to compete in the 2007 SEA Games in Korat, Thailand.

Coached by 2009 Belgian champion Lieven Devos and the Netherlands' David Molin for the past two years, Pg Mohd Nasir had been training in Belgium for the Guangzhou Asian Games.

The other sport left to be contested is karatedo and Southeast Asian (SEA) Games medallists Mohammad Fadillah Hj Sanif, Mainudin Hj Mohamad and Mohammad Jamil Hj Abd Hamid will lead the charge for Brunei.

Mohammad Fadillah will spar against the best that Asia has to offer in the men's kumite -67 kilogramme, the same event that delivered him the bronze in Laos last year, with younger brother Muhammad Fida'iy Hj Sanif (men's kumite -60kg) in action on Thursday.

Meanwhile Mainudin and Mohammad Jamil will be the last athletes to do battle at the Games, competing in the men's kumite -75kg and men's kumite -84kg on Friday.

For the Brunei athletes that had already been ousted from the competition: Faustina Woo Wai Sii, Lee Ying Shi and Mohammad Yunos Hj Hamid it was the big gap in experience that had been their undoing.

Wushu duo Woo and Lee, who competed in the combined Southern Fist (Nanquan) and Southern Broad Sword (Nandao All-Round) event and Long Fist (Changquan) event respectively, both lamented the difference in years of training compared to their opponents.

Meanwhile, for national fencer Mohammad Yunos Hj Hamid, who fought in the men's individual sabre event on Friday, the fact that he fell at the hands of the best at the Games will be a consolation.

Ranked No 1 Gu Bon Gil cut the 26-year-old Bruneian down 15-6 in the third round, before going on to win gold for South Korea.

Courtesy from Brunei Times