KUALA LUMPUR – Malaysian para-powerlifter Bonnie Bunyau Gustin battled intense pain in his left shoulder to secure a second gold medal at the 2024 Paris Paralympics, successfully defending the title he won at the delayed Tokyo Games in 2021.
Speaking to Bernama at the Porte de La Chapelle Arena in Paris, where the men’s 72kg event took place, Bonnie set a new world record with a 232kg lift, despite the pain which had been troubling him since last week during training.
“The first lift was painful, and it only got worse with each attempt. I’ve never felt pain like this before,” the 25-year-old said following the medal ceremony.
Bonnie, who has dwarfism, attributed the injury to insufficient warm-up prior to his training sessions for Paris 2024.
Acknowledging his anxiety before the event, Bonnie, who held the previous world record of 231kg and the Paralympic record of 228kg, admitted: “I was really worried that I wouldn’t be able to perform in Paris.”
“I had to focus on calming myself down two to three days before the competition to ensure I was mentally prepared and motivated to give my best.”
Bonnie, originally from Sarawak, revealed that he and his coaching team had aimed to secure the gold medal with his first two lifts before attempting to set a new world record. The plan proved successful, as Bonnie led with a 221 kg lift in his first attempt, followed by 226kg in his second.
He dedicated his victory to his family, coaches, the Youth and Sports Ministry, the National Sports Council (NSC), the National Sports Institute (NSI), and the Malaysian Paralympic Council (MPC) for their support.
Bonnie now plans to use the RM1 million reward from the Sports Victory Prize Scheme to support his family back home.
China’s Hu Peng took silver with a 214kg lift, while Italy’s Donato Telesca claimed bronze with 213kg. – September 7, 2024