From left: Malaysia's Muslifah Zulkifli, Nur Suryani Mohd Taibi and Nur Ayuni Farhana Abdul Halim with their bronze medal effort in the team 50m rifle prone final at the Ongnyeon International Shooting Range on Wednesday. Nur Suryani also bagged silver in the individual event.
INCHEON: Shooter Nur Suryani Mohd Taibi gave herself a surprise birthday present - an individual silver and a team bronze - in the women’s 50m rifle prone at the Ongnyeon International Shooting Range.
Suryani, a mother of one who celebrated her 32nd birthday yesterday, edged hosts South Korea’s Eum Bit-na on countback for the silver after both shooters were tied on 620.6 points.
Suryani’s total combined with Muslifah Zulkifli and Nur Ayuni Farhana Abdul Halim gave Malaysia the team bronze with a 1,853.6 total.
It was a memorable day for Suryani as it was her best-ever achievement in the Asiad. Previously, she won her only Asiad medal - a bronze - in the 10m air rifle in 2010. Then, she created the record of being the first Malaysian women shooter to bag a medal in the Asiad.
Malaysia’s last silver achievement in shooting came from trap shooter Peter Lim in the 1986 Seoul Asiad.
The Perak-born Suryani was pleased as punch.
“I was disappointed after failing to reach the final of the 10m air on Monday, but I set the disappointment aside to focus on the remaining events. To be honest, I didn’t expect to win the individual medal from this event.
“The focus was on doing well with the team. It’s very difficult to win an Asiad individual medal due to the world class field. Winning the silver on my birthday is a pleasant surprise indeed,” said Suryani.
The Perak-born Suryani, a Royal Malaysian Navy officer, will pick up RM40,000 for the silver and share the RM20,000 with Muslifah and Nur Ayuni for the team bronze from the National Sports Council (NSC) incentive scheme. A happy brithday, indeed.
Suryani will now shift her focus to her final event - the 50m rifle three-position tomorrow.
“My target is to qualify for the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics. Doing well here and winning these two medals will help spur me on the road to Rio,” said Suryani, who was eight months pregnant when she competed in her first Olympics in London in 2012.
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