By Ashley Sim
KUCHING, Aug 16: The Sarawak lawn bowls squad has performed admirably at the 21st Malaysia Games (Sukma) 2024, winning two medals – one silver and one bronze.
In the men’s doubles event, the Sarawakian duo of Mohammad Aryan Nazrullah Nazaruddin and Muhammad Ramadhan Mohamad Jeffy earned a silver medal after a close 11-10 defeat to the Federal Territories team, represented by Faris Syuhairl Ahmad Syukri and Muhammad Afiq Azman, who took the gold in the final match held today at the Sarawak Lawn Bowls Arena here.
The bronze medal in the men’s doubles was claimed by the Johor team, consisting of Akmal Darwisy Abdul Rahim and Amirul Danial Abdul Rahim.
In the women’s singles, Sarawak’s representative, Dayang Nur Alia Sharmiela Abang Gadisa, fought hard to earn a bronze medal by edging out the Federal Territories’ player with a 19-18 victory.
Terengganu’s Nur Ain Kemilia Sukri emerged as the champion in the women’s singles event, winning the gold medal, while Nur Najla Damia Mustakim from Selangor took home silver.
Speaking to reporters after the competition, Mohammad Aryan and Muhammad Ramadhan both acknowledged the challenges faced during the competition.
“There were so many different sets to go through, and each required a high level of focus and preparation.
“Our preparation was thorough, with a lot of training. We had to push ourselves to reach this stage, but we felt confident.
“However, we gave our best and will continue to strive for improvement in the future,” said Mohammad Aryan.
He continued stating: “The target was initially set on securing second place, but we knew that if we could push through, a gold medal could be within reach as a bonus. I feel fortunate to have secured the silver.”
Meanwhile, Muhammad Ramadhan said: “We tried different strategies, but some rounds went in our favor, while others didn’t. For the last round, we gave it our all, but it just didn’t work out.”
He further acknowledged the tough competition from newer faces in the sport.
Furthermore, Nur Alia stated that, despite her nervousness prior to the competition, she hoped for continued success and dedication to her supporters.
Reflecting on her preparation, she noted, “Before the competition, we had daily training sessions which were challenging but rewarding. All our efforts paid off, especially since we trained intensively in Terengganu.”
This competition marked the athlete’s first Sukma experience, and she has been training for approximately two and a half years.
“It’s been an incredible journey, and I’m thankful for the opportunity to compete at this level,” she added.
The lawn bowls competition will continue tomorrow with five more events, including mixed doubles, men’s singles, men’s fours, women’s doubles, and women’s triples. — DayakDaily
