PETALING JAYA: Bowler Nur Syazwani Sahar is hoping to roll down a gold for the first time in her second Asian Championships.
The former world junior champion has been picked for the tournament to be held at the Blu–O Rhythm and Bowl in Bangkok from Sept 14-26.
The 25-year-old, who won silver for the team event and bronze for the trios at the 2019 Asian Championships in Kuwait, is now eyeing the chance to complete her medal collection.
“My main target for the Asian Championships is to secure a medal, with gold being the ultimate aim. I’m motivated to complete my collection of medals from this tournament as I previously won silver and bronze,” said Syazwani.
The women’s team will be led by reigning world champion Natasha Roslan and newly crowned PWBA Player of the Year Sin Li Jane. The others are Gillian Lim, Nora Lyana Nastasia Norkamal, Faten Najihah Ahmad Faik and Syazwani.
Syazwani knows the Asian Championships is a prestigious event where all the top bowlers from other nations would gather.
“I believe the upcoming Asian Championship will be an intense competition. As always, teams from South Korea and Singapore will bring their best, which promises high-quality matches.
“However, Malaysia also have strong participants this year. Despite the team being younger and less experienced, they are incredibly talented.
‘‘I am confident that with our skill and determination, Malaysia has a great chance to excel and potentially come out on top.”
Syazwani is looking forward to learning a thing or two from Li Jane, who has proven to be a star of the Malaysian team for many years.
“I love to see Li Jane’s accuracy in making the shots and she has been delivering top tier performances this year.
“I’m eager to observe her techniques in the game as I believe there’s a lot to learn from her skill and experience.”
The national team will be guided and mentored by coaches Ben Heng, Wendy Chai and Gerald Samuel.
Syazwani said the coaches and experienced bowlers like Li Jane have been giving lots of pointers to her and the other young bowlers.
“The coaches and experienced players have advised me to focus on maintaining consistent performances under pressure and to refine my strategic approach during matches.
“Additionally, I’ve been encouraged to work on my mental resilience to stay focused and adapt quickly to different opponents.”
