Nurul to watch her step at SEA Games after painful lesson

KUALA LUMPUR: Walker Nurul Alyahaziqah Kamaruzaman has become a stronger person after a bitter lesson in the Malaysia Games (Sukma) in Ipoh last year.

The 18-year-old lass was disqualified at the Sukma for floating three times in the women’s 5,000m walk at the Perak Stadium but she vows not to repeat the mistake when she makes her debut in the Philippines SEA Games from Nov 30-Dec 11.

Nurul said the painful incident has made her stronger.

“I was shattered after being disqualified after crossing the finishing line. I learnt that anything can happen in a race. I’m more careful during races now,” said Nurul.

“I continued to train and take part in walk competitions but fortunately, until now, I’ve never been disqualified.”

Nurul, who is currently the second ranked national walker behind 2017 SEA Games gold medallist Elena Goh Ling Yin, represented Malaysia in the India Walk circuit in Chennai in February and clocked 1’58:21 in the 20km event.

Then, she featured in the Asia Race Walk Championships in Nomi City, Japan, and clocked a season best of 1’55:01 en route to finishing 41st.

Nurul was selected for the SEA Games after clocking 55:42.44 for the gold in the 10,000m in the Kuala Lumpur Open in Bukit Jalil in July.

Her effort in the KL Open has made her the third ranked walker in the South East Asian region after Vietnam’s Nguyen Thi Thanh Phuc and Elena.

“I’m young but I want to make my first SEA Games memorable by winning a medal,” said Nurul, whose next walk competition is in Suzhou City, China, from Oct 18-20.