Sarawakian junior bowler to represent Malaysia in Peru

KUCHING (Jan 3): Sarawakian junior bowler Nur Hazirah Ramli’s first challenge for the year will be the IBF World Youth Cup Tenpin Bowling Championship in Lima, Peru from Jan 19-24.

Her calendar for 2024 looks to be an exciting one as there will also be the World Youth Cup, World Youth Championship, and Sukma XXI, which will be her final outing.

“Looking forward to 2024, with all the experience gained, I am looking towards further improving myself as an athlete. Focusing on my growth and thought process, I believe this year will be as good or better than last year,” she told The Borneo Post.

“I am looking forward to all the challenges that lie ahead while being mindful of the present with both feet firmly on the ground.”

Reflecting on 2023, Hazirah said it was quite a long year, which included moving to Kuala Lumpur in February to join the national team, settling down, competing in tournament after tournament, especially in the second half of the year.

As such she looked forward to and welcomed the break to get some rest and family time.

“Performance has been good and results have been kind to me. I closed the year with a few titles, podium finishes, as well as a bronze medal in the Asian Youth Championship.

“In my conclusion on 2023, it was a blast! All my achievements in 2023 mean the same to me. There are no favourites nor of more importance.

“All of them have their lessons to be learned, moments to cherish, and made me who I am today. For all that has been achieved, I am humbled and grateful,” she added.

Mentor and coach Angelo Koay described 2023 as nothing short of amazing for Hazirah.

“It is of no surprise that she was able to perform well and maintain such high levels consistently throughout the year.

“In the Sarawak-Amateur Tenpin Bowling Association of Sarawak (ABAS) training programme, our aim is to train our athletes beyond the national level.

“The state side was already equipping them with technical and tactical knowledge of the sport, strengthened with holistic physical condition, and solidified with a ‘Anang Ngalah Majak Mansang’ (Never Give Up, Keep Going) mentality,” he said.

Hence, Koay said Hazirah was already well prepared for the challenges ahead as a national bowler.

“If she trains as she does, remembers lessons, continues to learn, and grows, keeps her focus purely on her goals, and most importantly keeps her feet firmly on the ground, I foresee she will be able to maintain if not better her performance this year,” he added.

Sarawak will be the host for Sukma XXI and tenpin bowling is gunning for its fifth consecutive overall title for the sport.

Achievements in 2023

• 41st Malaysian International Open – Girls Open Champion, Girls Singles champion and perfect game
• 47th MWA-Singha Thailand International Open – Youth U21 Champion
• Pesta Boling WPKL – Girls Open champion
• 23rd Bill Chrisman Memorial U22 Storm International Junior All-Stars Gen Z Women’s Open champion
• 49th Penang Pesta International Bowling Championship – Girls Open champion, Women Masters silver
• 9th Sarawak Closed – Youth Girls U21 silver
• 34th Interstates – Women’s Team first silver
• 45th Malaysian National Championship – Girls Open silver
• 41st Malaysian International Open – Women’s Open singles bronze
• 23rd Bill Chrisman Memorial U22 Storm International Junior All-Stars – Girls Open bronze