KUALA LUMPUR: Nurshafila Omar of Selangor wasn't disappointed when she was axed from the national lawn bowls team at the end of last year.
That's because she felt she was still a rookie compared to the other players who were much more experienced and senior than her.
The 21-year-old, however, is looking at a place in the national team after winning the mixed double gold with Haiqal Azami in the Malaysia Games today.
Haiqal is a part-time lawn bowler who works as a sports administrator with the Selangor Sports Council.
The Selangor pair were in top form as they beat the Perak pair of Imran Aminuddin and Noor Shuhaiza Nadia Ghazali 16-8 in the final at Bukit Kiara Sports Complex. In the semi-finals, they outplayed Terengganu's Zul Fadzli Yusof and Nur Farah Fazliena Alimi 20-7.
Nurshafila, who took up lawn bowls at the age of 13, was thrilled to win her first ever medal in her second Games.
"The gold is a big boost for me as my mission this year is to regain my place in the national team. I was among 10 women called up for national training in August 2020 but five of us were dropped at the end of last year before the Birmingham Commonwealth Games.
"My aim is to represent Malaysia one day and I will continue to give my best in competitions to be called up again for national training," said Nurshafila, who is doing a degree in sports science at Universiti Pertahanan Nasional Malaysia.
RESULTS
Mixed doubles final: Haiqal Azami-Nurshafila Omar (Sel) bt Atiq Imran Aminuddin-Noor Shuhaiza Nadia Ghazali (Prk) 16-8.
Third placing: Fikri Hashim-Fatin Nurrawiah (Joh) bt Zul Fadzli Yusof-Nur Farah Fazliena Alimi (Ter) 16-7.