Syaidatul Afifah Badrul Hamidi in a filepic. She was reinstated to the elite squad in January and is set to compete in the Brunswick Euro Challenge in Munich.
PETALING JAYA: Bowler Syaidatul Afifah Badrul Hamidi is no stranger to the national elite squad.
In 2012, the 22-year-old from Perak was promoted to the expanded 12-member women’s squad after winning the Kuala Lumpur Open and the Penang Pesta Open in 2011.
But last year the elite squad were trimmed to six and Syaidatul found herself in the back-up squad.
Syaidatul persevered and got back into the elite squad when she finished strongly in the roll-off to select the elite bowlers in January this year. Besides Syaidatul, Esther Cheah, Shalin Zulkifli, Sin Li Jane, Siti Safiyah Amirah Abdul Rahman, Jacqueline Jenelee Sijore, Natasha Roslan and Radin Nur Najwa Arifah Radin Dzulfakar also made it to the squad.
“I see my return to the elite squad this year as a new beginning for me because I still have a lot to learn.
“Under coach Holloway (Cheah) I’ve improved my game and I’m happy with how things are going now,” said Syaidatul.
Syaidatul will be going to Munich on Tuesday to compete in the Brunswick Euro Challenge, which ends on Sunday. It will be her first big overseas assignment.
“I’ve never competed in a big international tournament before and I have to admit that I’m quite nervous now. But I will try my best to gain as much experience as possible from the tournament,” she said.
Except for injured Jacqueline and Radin, who will be sitting for her college exams, the rest of elite squad members will compete in Munich.
The men bowlers picked to compete are Zulmazran Zulkifli, Alex Liew, Adrian Ang, Syafiq Ridhwan Abdul Malek, Jonathan Ding Sagan, Timmy Tan and Syimir Abdul Razak. Mohd Rafiq Ismail will miss the tournament due to injury.
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