Women’s recurve team eye return to Asian Games
PETALING JAYA:
National archery coach Marbawi Sulaiman believes it’s time for the women’s recurve team to make their presence felt in the Asian Games again after missing the last two editions.
Malaysia were not represented in the women’s recurve events in Incheon, South Korea, in 2014 and Guangzhou, China, in 2010 due to a lack of depth in the squad.
But with the emergence of the talented quartet of Nur Aliya Ghapar, Nur Afisa Abdul Halil, Nuramalia Haneesha Mazlan and Loke Shin Hui last year, gone are the days when the women’s recurve team were considered the weakest link in the national archery set-up.
The quartet first made an impact by reaching the semi-finals of the World Cup in Shanghai in March and clinching the bronze at the Asia Cup in Taiwan in June.
Nur Aliya and Co went on to claim the first SEA Games archery team gold in 12 years on home soil in August.
Marbawi, who is in charge of the team, said the outstanding performance last year merited a place in the national contingent to the Jakarta Games from Aug 18-Sept 2.
“We’re not sure yet what’s in store for the team but I would surely like to see the girls get picked for the Asian Games,” said Marbawi.
“As the women’s recurve team is not under the Podium Programme (ran by National Sports Institute), their participation in Jakarta will depend on the National Sports Council’s (NSC) working committee’s decision on Jan 11.
“They’re going to finalise the athletes’ preparation programme for the 2019 SEA Games (in the Philippines) and the Asian Games will also be part of it. So, we are waiting anxiously to know if the women’s recurve team will get to go to Jakarta.
“I think they deserve a place given their success last year. The only way to take this team to greater heights is by exposing them to competition of this stature.
“Moreover, we didn’t have a team competing at the Asiad since the 2006 Doha Games. It’s a shame if we are going to miss again.”
At the 2006 Doha Games, Malaysia were represented by Mon Redee Sut Txi, S. Anbarasi, Noor Aziera Taip and Siti Sholeha Yusof.