Cool Syasya on fire

Games debutant stuns Olympian to bag air pistol gold

NURUL Syasya Nadiah Ariffin was as cool as ice when she took her last shot – and then her hands started trembling as the realisation hit.

She had just taken down the Vietnam SEA Games 10m air pistol gold medal at the National Sports Centre in Hanoi.

No only that, she had scored 239.3 points and upstaged three-time Olympian and six-time SEA Games gold medallist Tanyaporn Prucksakorn of Thailand, who was relegated to silver with 238.7 points.

Vietnam’s Trinh Thu Vinh won bronze with a score of 214.1.

Tears flowed for Syasya, and as the announcement came that she had won, she fell at the feet of her coach Mohd Firdaus Abd Rahim.

It was indeed an incredible feat as she is only 19 and her best years are yet to come.

The girl from Batu Pahat, who had taken up taekwondo as a kid, admitted that she felt jittery during qualification, but had steadied herself thanks to Firdaus’ guidance.

“I have to thank my coach for this. Imagine winning a gold in your first Games. That’s why I got so emotional. I just did not expect it,” she said.

“But coach just kept telling me that I had what it takes to win any medal. He told me even gold was a possibility, and look what I am holding now!

“In the final, when I was in the lead, I just told myself I could do it. I have won on the international stage before.

“Since young, I have been taught to be a fighter during taekwondo training. In shooting, I will continue to be that person.”

Before the SEA Games, Syasya won the gold in the women’s 10m air pistol event at the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) Grand Prix Rifle and Pistol competition in February.

Syasya said the win was a testament to her sacrifice during the Covid-19 pandemic period when she had to undergo bubble training for months.

“We had to be in the same building for a long time but I got used to it. Thankfully, I was able to control my emotions during the pandemic.”

Now, Syasya is setting her sights on the bigger Games.

“What’s next? Asian Games and, yes, the Olympics. I want to bring back more medals for Malaysia.”

But before that, Syasya has another event in Vietnam. She will compete in the mixed team with another gold medallist Johnathan Wong.

“Obviously, all eyes will be on us as we both won individual gold medals, but we will do our best,” she said.