KUALA LUMPUR: Swimmer Anderson Jamba attributed his double gold feat at the Kuala Lumpur Asean Para Games (Para KL2017) on Friday to the tireless support of his family.
Anderson was the standout man for Malaysia at the National Aquatics Centre in Bukit Jalil as he romped to the men's 150m individual medley SM4 gold in a new Games record time of three minutes and 22.21 seconds.
His time erased the former record of 3:49.01s set by fellow Malaysian Wong Chee Kin in Manila 12 years ago.
Wong won the 50m backstroke gold in 52.06s.
Anderson said his father, Jamba Dana and mother Entin Jerimin, both paddy farmers in Sri Aman, Sarawak, had wanted to come to KL to support him but could not afford to do so.
"Although they are not here, every morning, they call me and encourage me to do my best. They always pray for me," said Anderson, whose legs have been paralysed since he was 14 years old following a high fever.
"After I won the 150m IM, I felt more confident and managed to win a second gold. Obviously, I am very happy," he said.
Anderson’s two gold and one silver personal haul at Para KL2017 is his best to date in the competition, having left the 2013 Myanmar and 2015 Singapore games empty handed.
Anderson revealed that it was teammate Fraidden Dawan, who won the 200m individual medley S10 today, who introduced him to the sport in 2004.
"We met at the Kuching Rehabilitation Centre in 2004 and he taught me how to swim. It is a coincidence that both of us were able to win medals this time," he added.
Translated from Berita Harian