Award nomination an achievement — Meilaura
KOTA KINABALU: Meilaura Dora Jimmy has vowed her best to scale new heights of success for the state and country in the bodybuilding arena.
An encouraged Meilaura made the pledge after she was named as one of the candidates for the Sportswoman of the Year Award at the National Sports Awards 2021, along with national diving queen Pandelela Rinong, squash players Rachel Arnold, Aifa Azman and Muay Thai exponent Nur Amisha Azrilrizal.
A certain Pandelela went on to win the Sportswomen of the Year award during a ceremony graced by the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim in Bukit Jalil, Kuala Lumpur on Tuesday.
Despite missing out on the coveted award, Meilaura was not too disappointed as she described the nomination, which was based on excellent achievements on the international stage throughout 2021, was already an achievement.
“I want to take this opportunity to praise God for the nomination for the 2021 edition of the National Sports Award.
“I would not be where I am today if not for the assistance, encouragement and prayers from all throughout my 16 years of involvement in bodybuilding sport.
“Many thanks to the Youth and Sports Ministry (Malaysia), National Sports Council, Malaysia Bodybuilding Federation (MBBF), Sabah Youth and Sports Ministry, Sabah Sports Council and Sabah Bodybuilding Association (SBBA),” she said.
Meilaura went on express his gratitude to MBBF vice president and coach Abd Aziz Ahmad, SBBA president-cum-MBBF vice president Joannes Staneslous, Joseph Slyvester, Jeffery Thaddeus, family members, friends and fellow bodybuilders for their motivation and support for her.
“I will continue to make great efforts in order to bring glory to the country in international bodybuilding stage,” added Meilaura in a message shared via Joannes on Wednesday.
For the record, Meilaura’s finest moment in the sport between 2013 to 2022 came in the 12th World Bodybuilding and Physique Sport Championships 2021 in, Tashkent, Uzbekistan.
She flexed her muscle to winning two golds in the Women’s Bodybuilding Open Category and in the Ladies Bodybuilding Over 30 Years Category. She also won a silver medal in the Mixed Pair Category.
In the 13th edition of the championship in Thailand last December, the national athlete bagged a silver in the Open category and a bronze in the mixed pair event.
Meanwhile, Joannes hailed the achievement of Meilaura to be nominated for the award.
“It is an honour for Sabah and in particular for bodybuilding fraternity. We have many women bodybuilders who have made the state proud such as Mary Benson and Shelen Kok.
“Hopefully, Meilaura’s achievement will be a motivation for bodybuilders, men and women, to try and achieve new heights in the sport,” Joannes told The Borneo Post.