KUALA LUMPUR: World record holder Bonnie Bunyau Gustin lived up to expectations when he delivered Malaysia's first ever Paralympic gold in powerlifting with a new games record in Tokyo on Saturday.
Bonnie left no room for drama, successfully lifting 217 kilogrammes on his first attempt to give himself a comfortable early lead in the men's Under-72kg class at the Tokyo International Forum.
The Sarawakian proceeded to clear 225kg on his second attempt and 228kg in his third lift to set a new Paralympic record, erasing the former mark of 227kg by Iranian Rasool Mohsin of Iraq at Rio 2016.
Egypt's Mahmoud Attia came in a distant second on 191kg while Britain's Micky Yule (182kg) completed the podium.
Bonnie, 22, has been in fine form this season and set a new world record (230kg) en route to winning the gold in the 72kg division at the Dubai leg of the Para Powerlifting World Cup in June.
A month earlier, he won in the same weight class at the Bangkok leg of the World Cup.