SINGAPORE - After winning the women’s individual compound open gold at the 2015 and 2017 Asean Para Games (APG), archer Nur Syahidah Alim continued her upward trajectory, becoming world champion and world No. 1 in her event in 2019.
Her path took a downturn though when she crashed out of last year’s Tokyo Paralympics in the round of 16 and earlier this year, failed to retain her world title after losing in the quarter-finals.
Syahidah, however, put those disappointments behind her at this year’s APG in Solo as she claimed her third straight gold in the same event.
Leading from start to finish in yesterday’s five-set final, she defeated Thai Praphaporn Homjanthuek 144-135 at the Kota Barat Stadium.
Sein Phawt of Myanmar won the bronze by a whisker, beating Phannibha Srathongmaew of Thailand 144-143.
Syahidah, who triumphed at the Phuket Asia Para Archery Tournament in March, told The Straits Times: “(Immediately after the match), I told myself ‘yay I did it! I won the gold medal again’.
“I feel really great and very honoured to be able to bring home the gold medal for Singapore.”
The victory was not entirely expected for Syahidah, 36, who has faced many ups and downs in the last two years.
She said: “Archery is anyone’s game so I focused on what I needed to do and what we’ve been practising.
“We focused a lot on my shooting processes and raising my confidence through breathing techniques to help my pace.”
She highlighted various areas of progress in Thursday's (Aug 4) contest.
In the 2017 final, she scored 140 and was not entirely pleased with it, so her 144 points this time was a positive sign and reflected greater consistency in her technique.
She was also better able to handle the heat and wind, which changed direction frequently, with the help of cold towels, cooling spray and guidance from her coach.
“In terms of our training plan, we’re definitely on the right track but there’s definitely room for improvement,” Syahidah said.
“It’s (been a) work in progress to build that mental confidence but I’m glad that whatever we’ve been doing in preparation for these Games has worked.”
She will next compete in the Singapore Archery Open in September and is aiming to qualify for the Paris 2024 Paralympics.
She added: “I hope that with this achievement, I will be able to inspire more people in Singapore to pursue their dreams and that anything is possible.”
This was Singapore’s fifth gold, after swimmers Wong Zhi Wei, Sophie and Colin Soon’s as well as Diroy Noordin’s in the shot put, at the ongoing Games in Indonesia.
In other events, Toh Sze Ning and Aloysius Gan each clinched a silver in the boccia BC3 individual women’s and men’s events respectively, while teammate Jeralyn Tan claimed a bronze in the BC1 individual women’s event. Swimmer Danielle Moi added a bronze in the women’s S14 200m freestyle.
