Bonnie Bunyau Gustin made Malaysia proud after smashing the world record in the men’s above 72kg category en route to taking gold in the Para Powerlifting World Cup in Dubai.

The gold was already Bonnie’s for the taking after no one was able to beat his second lift of 221kg and the 20-year-old then decided to go for the world record of 229kg held by Iranian Rostami Roohallah since 2019.

The bar was raised to 230kg for his final lift and Kuching-born Bonnie took up the challenge successfully to claim a new world record.

China’s Hu Peng took silver with 214kg while Nigeria’s Innocent Nnamdi, the bronze medallist at the last Paralympics in Rio de Janeiro in 2016, placed third with 213kg.

It was the second Para Powerlifting World Cup win this year for Bonnie as he lifted 226kg when placing first in the men’s above 72kg category in Bangkok in May.

With his latest achievement, Bonnie should be heading to Tokyo as the No. 1 ranked para lifter in his category.

Bonnie and Jong Yee Khie, the 2014 Commonwealth Games bronze medallist in Glasgow, are the only Malaysians sent for the Dubai assignment, which is the last qualifying event for Tokyo Paralympics.