BEIJING, Sept 10 (Bernama) -- National powerlifter Siow Lee Chan ended a 16-year medal draught in the Paralympics for Malaysia when she bagged a bronze in the women's Under 56kg event in the Beijing Paralympics Wednesday.
Lee Chan, 37, lifted 95kgs and in the process achieved a personal best over the 92.5kgs she achieved at the Athens Paralympics in 2004 and Asean Para Games in Manila in 2005.
On hand to witness her achieving the feat was the Prime Minister's wife Datin Seri Jeanne Abdullah, who is also the patron of the Malaysian Paralympics Council.
The gold was won by Fatma Omar of Egypt who did 141.5kgs, which was also a Paralympic and World record. Russia's Irina Kazantseva took the silver after lifting 97.5kgs.
"I am extremely excited, absolutely thrilled. I'm satisfied with the results. I did not think too much, I just left it to God.
"I will continue to practice powerlifting and try my best to get better results next time," Lee Chan told a press conference after the medal presentation ceremony at the Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronauts Gymnasium.
Lee Chan had represented the country in the Sydney Games (2000) and Athens (2004) where she finished in sixth place in both.
However, Lee Chan's success could not be repeated by teammate Cheok Kon Fatt, 53, in the men's Under 52kg when he only managed eighth place out of 12 competitors after lifting 137.5kgs.
China's Wu Guojing lifted 175kg to take the gold while Osama Elserngawy of Egypt won the silver (167.5kg). Narong Kasanun of Thailand also lifted the same weight but was awarded the bronze on count back.
Kon Fatt, a veteran of the Paralympics, won the silver in the category in the Barcelona Games of 1992. It was the last time national paralympians won any medals in the Games.
National coach Ghazali Osman was elated by Lee Chan's achievement and said: "The six months of training we put in under the watchful eyes of the National Sports Council has paid off."
-- BERNAMA
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