KUCHING: Who would have thought that behind that sweet smile of hers, Nur Hazirah Ramli actually possesses a steely determination that has seen the Sarawakian deliver a third straight gold medal in bowling at the 2024 Malaysia Games (SUKMA).
The 21-year-old produced a sensational performance in mixed doubles with Fan Yew Tsen to blitz the lanes with 2,547 pinfalls at Megalanes Sarawak today.
Their teammates, Muhammad Ihsan Fikri Suffian-Claudia Kumang Jakson downed 2,476 pins for silver while Penang’s Muhammad Hafiz Darwisy Azhlan-Nur Sara Shahira Mohamad Firdaus (2,462 pinfalls) took bronze.
Nur Hazirah, who is making her final appearance in SUKMA, has been in sensational form ever since the bowling competition began, winning the women’s individual event on Thursday (Aug 15) to make up for the disappointment of finishing with a silver in the 2022 edition.
She then went on to retain the women’s doubles gold with Lavinia Kho yesterday.
Asked if already knows what she’s going to do with the RM45,000 she will receive from the Sarawak government, she replied that, for now, she would save the money for her future.
“For now, I am fully focused on bowling and will only think about (furthering my studies) next year. But I am still going to bowl and further my studies…maybe in mass communication,” she said.
Yesterday, Sarawak Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg announced that the state government would provide an incentive of RM15,000 to its athletes who win gold in this year’s Malaysia Games (SUKMA) and Para SUKMA.
In addition, a silver medallist will get RM5,000 and bronze medallist RM3,000.
