KUALA LUMPUR: National shooter Nur Ayuni Farhana Abdul Halim is one tough cookie.
Just two months after missing out on the Myanmar SEA Games, the 22-year-old Ayuni bounced back superbly to qualify for the Glasgow Commenwealth Games in the 50m rifle prone discipline.
She made the cut for the Commonwealth Games at last month’s Selangor Championships by scoring 594 points – surpassing the 590 qualifying mark, which was the sixth-placed score of the event at the last edition in New Delhi in 2010.
Buoyed by that breakthrough, she is now hoping to qualify for two more events – 10m air rifle and 50m three position – in the Commonwealth Games.
Besides Ayuni, two others shooters – Muslifah Zulkifli and Nur Suryani Mohd Taibi – have also booked their tickets for the Games in the 50m rifle prone discipline.
Despite the brilliant start, Ayuni still wants more.
“It’s great to have qualified for my second Commonwealth Games in my first try. I’m still not satisfied although I have qualified for one event ... I want to go for the maximum number of events ... I’ll try to make it for the 10m air pistol and the 50m three position,” she said.
“There are few qualifying tournaments, like the World Cup in Kuwait and Germany. There are also several local tournaments lined up for us,” said Ayuni, who is preparing for the opening World Cup leg in Kuwait next month.
Four years ago, debutant Ayuni got off to a splendid start when she gunned down her first gold medal at the New Delhi Games. She teamed up with Suryani for a gold in the 10m air pistol doubles event and also landed a silver in the individual event.
It was her first year in the senior shooting team.
“It has been four years since that great moment. I’m more experienced now and hoping to enjoy another good showing in Glasgow,” she said.
“Last year was a quiet one for me as I did not make the trip to Myanmar. The number of events were limited and I was not selected. This year, besides the Commonwealth Games, there is also the Asian Games (in Incheon). I have been really focused in training and I am looking forward to the assignments.”
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