SINGAPORE - Para-cyclist Tan Hun Boon won Singapore's first medal at the Asean Para Games (APG) on Sunday (Sept 17) in Kuala Lumpur.

The 40-year-old, one of 21 debutants in the 90-strong Singapore contingent, clocked 1min 48.672sec to win the bronze in the men's kilometre (C1, C2, C3) final at the Nilai Velodrome.

The amputee was competing in the C2 class, where the higher the number, the less severe is the disability.

Cycling is making its debut at the APG, and it is one a record 16 sports that will be contested at the Games, which begins on Sunday.

Malaysia's Adi Raimie Amizazahan (1:17.232) and Yusof Hafizi Shaharuddin (1:18.735) won gold and silver respectively.

Tan, who turns 40 on Sunday, said: "It feels fantastic. It shows the potential of the sport to grow in Singapore. It's my birthday, so it makes (the achievement) a bit more special."

Singapore picked up four bronzes and one silver on the opening day of the Games.

Tandem cyclists Emily Lee, 47, paired with sighted pilot Sarah Tan to win a silver in the women's sprint and a bronze in the women's kilometre event.

Lee said: "I'm comfortable with Sarah as a pilot. We gel and synchronise well without talking much and we can feel each other's movements well."

Lee's husband Jessen Ng, 55, teamed up with 2017 SEA Games gold medallist (men's omnium) Calvin Sim - who was Ng's pilot - to clinch the bronze medal in both the men's sprint and kilometre events.

Ng said: "I came with the aim of collecting something home. So winning two medals on the first day is good. I have cycled with a few pilots before but he's (Sim) the one who has given me the most confidence."