Bonnie eyes historic hat-trick but wary of rising threats
KUALA LUMPUR: All-conquering para powerlifter Bonnie Bunyau Gustin has set his sights on winning a third consecutive gold medal at the 2028 Los Angeles Paralympics.
Bonnie, who competes in the under-72kg class, has swept all before him at the global level since 2019, winning two gold at the Paralympics (Tokyo 2020, Paris 2024), three world titles (Nur-Sultan 2019, Tbilisi 2021, Dubai 2023) and is also the current world record holder.
The 26-year-old is, however, aware that with new talent emerging from rival nations, he will have to continue raising his game if he is to achieve a hat-trick of Paralympic gold medals.
"I have thought about winning it (Paralympic gold) for a third time in a row but it will depend on the conditions at the time," said Bonnie yesterday (May 14).
"At the moment my rivals are not that close to me just yet but they are starting to perform (better and better) so I have to be careful.
"I will have to make sure I am really in good form if I want to win gold for a third time.
"At the moment, my goal is to keep improving myself and work on bettering my personal best (world record).
No Malaysian athlete has been able to win three Paralympic gold medals in a row before. Long jumper (T20) Latif Romly came close after winning back-to-back gold at Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020 but was forced to settle for silver in Paris.
Bonnie said he has fully recovered from the injury that bothered him at the Paris Paralympics last year.
"I had a muscle tear in my left chest (pectoral) and it was swollen (during Paris games). I have undergone rehabilitation and it is now fully recovered," said Bonnie.
"I am back to training again now and am at about 70 to 80 percent (performance levels) at the moment.
"This year, I have the World Cup in Beijing (June) as well as the World Championships in Egypt (Oct) so I have to prepare as best as possible."
Bonnie was named Paralympic Sportsman of the Year (2024) for a third time at the National Sports Awards yesterday. He previously won the award in 2023 and 2021.
To make it even sweeter, Bonnie's long-time coach Jamil Adam was also named Men's Coach of the Year (2024).
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Malay Mail
2 hours ago
- Malay Mail
Venezuela edge closer to historic World Cup berth with 2-0 win over Bolivia
MONTEVIDEO, June 7 — Venezuela boosted their chances of qualifying for the World Cup for the first time in their history, beating Bolivia 2-0 yesterday, while faltering rivals Colombia were held to a 0-0 draw at home to Peru. A calamitous fifth-minute own goal from Hector Cuellar and a 30th-minute strike from veteran forward Salomon Rondon ensured the three points for the Vinotinto in Maturin. The victory, which came after a frustrating night for Colombia, left Venezuela in seventh place on 18 points - three points behind Colombia and Uruguay. Venezuela travel to Uruguay on Tuesday knowing a win would put them in real contention for a top six spot and an automatic place in next year's tournament in the USA, Canada and Mexico. The final two games for Uruguay come in September when they are away to already qualified Argentina before a potentially crucial last match at home to Colombia on September 6. The top six teams in South America qualify directly for the World Cup with the seventh placed country entering the inter-confederation playoffs. Bolivia gifted the home side the lead when Cuellar played a gentle back pass towards his goalkeeper Guillermo Viscarra who somehow failed to control the ball which passed through his legs and into the net. The much-travelled Rondon, Venezuela's all-time top scorer, doubled the lead on the half hour when he brought down a cross from the right and under pressure buried the ball in the corner with his left foot. Jon Aramburu should have made it 3-0 in the 68th minute when he was set up by Rondon but side-footed wide. Eighth-placed Bolivia, who now fall four points behind Venezuela, went close to pulling a goal back in the 75th minute when Lucas Chavez's effort grazed the outside of the post. Colombia, runners-up in the Copa America last year, are making life difficult for themselves after being held by second to last Peru in Barranquilla, extending their winless run in the CONMEBOL qualifiers to five games. Missing the suspended Liverpool winger Luis Diaz, Colombia lacked creativity in attack against a resilient Peru back line and they were booed off the field at the final whistle. 'Two fundamental things were missing to win the game, which was the final third and precision. And I think Peru defended very well. They made it difficult for us in that sense,' said Colombia's Argentine coach Nestor Lorenzo. Colombia face Argentina in Buenos Aires on Tuesday. Argentina, who are on 34 points, are assured of top spot in the group while Ecuador and Paraguay are on 24 points ahead of Brazil on 22. Just six points separate second-placed Ecuador from seventh-placed Venezuela with three rounds of games remaining. — AFP
New Straits Times
4 hours ago
- New Straits Times
Venezuela boost qualification hopes as Colombia falter
MONTEVIDEO: Venezuela boosted their chances of qualifying for the World Cup for the first time in their history, beating Bolivia 2-0 on Friday, while faltering rivals Colombia were held to a 0-0 draw at home to Peru. A calamitous fifth-minute own goal from Hector Cuellar and a 30th-minute strike from veteran forward Salomon Rondon ensured the three points for the Vinotinto in Maturin. The victory, which came after a frustrating night for Colombia, left Venezuela in seventh place on 18 points - three points behind Colombia and Uruguay. Venezuela travel to Uruguay on Tuesday knowing a win would put them in real contention for a top six spot and an automatic place in next year's tournament in the USA, Canada and Mexico. The final two games for Uruguay come in September when they are away to already qualified Argentina before a potentially crucial last match at home to Colombia on September 6. The top six teams in South America qualify directly for the World Cup with the seventh placed country entering the inter-confederation playoffs. Bolivia gifted the home side the lead when Cuellar played a gentle back pass towards his goalkeeper Guillermo Viscarra who somehow failed to control the ball which passed through his legs and into the net. The much-travelled Rondon, Venezuela's all-time top scorer, doubled the lead on the half hour when he brought down a cross from the right and under pressure buried the ball in the corner with his left foot. Jon Aramburu should have made it 3-0 in the 68th minute when he was set up by Rondon but side-footed wide. Eighth-placed Bolivia, who now fall four points behind Venezuela, went close to pulling a goal back in the 75th minute when Lucas Chavez's effort grazed the outside of the post. Colombia, runners-up in the Copa America last year, are making life difficult for themselves after being held by second to last Peru in Barranquilla, extending their winless run in the CONMEBOL qualifiers to five games. Missing the suspended Liverpool winger Luis Diaz, Colombia lacked creativity in attack against a resilient Peru back line and they were booed off the field at the final whistle. "Two fundamental things were missing to win the game, which was the final third and precision. And I think Peru defended very well. They made it difficult for us in that sense," said Colombia's Argentine coach Nestor Lorenzo. Colombia face Argentina in Buenos Aires on Tuesday. Argentina, who are on 34 points, are assured of top spot in the group while Ecuador and Paraguay are on 24 points ahead of Brazil on 22.
The Sun
4 hours ago
- The Sun
Clinical Norway hand Italy painful 3-0 defeat
NORWAY stunned Italy with a 3-0 win on Friday, handing the visitors a humiliating start to their World Cup qualifying campaign. In Group I, Norway lead the standings with nine points after three matches. Italy were playing their first match in the qualifying campaign. The soaking wet home crowd had reason to cheer after 14 minutes when Alexander Sorloth timed his run perfectly onto a through ball from Antonio Nusa and slotted it home from close range. Nusa lit up the night with a moment of brilliance after 34 minutes, controlling a pass with a slick first touch, bursting past two Italian defenders with a dazzling run, and drilling it in from the edge of the box. The first-half rout continued when another through ball from Martin Odegaard found an unmarked Erling Haaland, who rounded Italy keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma to score Norway's third just before the break. The continued pouring rain cooled the match down in second-half with Norway coming closest with substitute Patrick Berg sending a screamer into the post just after the hour mark, but no more goals were scored.
