Nat shows she is cool queen of bowling with title

KUALA LUMPUR: It was a surprise when Natasha Roslan was named the National Sportswoman of the Year winner for 2023, thanks to her feat in ending a 12-year gold drought for Malaysia in the women’s singles at the World Championships in Kuwait last October.

Natasha thus became the sixth Malaysian woman bowler to pick up the highest sports recognition in the country after Shirley Chow (1979), Lydia Kwah (1990), Lisa Kwan (1991, 1993), Sharon Low (1995) and Shalin Zulkifli (1994, 1996, 1997, 2001, 2002)

At the world meet in Kuwait, Natasha beat her teammate Sin Li Jane to win the women’s singles gold medal and became the first Malaysian winner in the event since Jacqueline Sijore triumphed in Hong Kong in 2011.

Natasha prevailed against the likes of muay thai world champion Nur Amisha Azrilrizal, Hangzhou Asian Games double gold medallist S. Sivasangari, Asian lawn bowls champion Nurul Alyani Jamil and sailor Nur Syazrin Mohd Latif, who delivered the first gold for the Malaysian contingent at the Hangzhou Asiad.

“Never thought I would be the winner in the first place as there were some top names in the list like Sivasangari and the Olympic sailor Syazrin.

“It’s the biggest national recognition for an athlete and also for bowling,” said the 28-year-old, who also sees the win as a boost in her bid to shine in the Asian Championships in Bangkok, Thailand in September.

“The Asian meet will be our main focus this year and I want to maintain the momentum after becoming world champion.”

Current world record holder and world champion powerlifter Bonnie Bunyau Gustin claimed his second National Paralympic Sportsman award in three years after beating the likes of Ziyad Zolkefli, Abdul Latif Romly and Mohd Ammar Aiman Nor Azmi (para athletics); Mohd Nur Syaiful Zulkafli (para swimming).

Para cyclist Nur Suraiya Zamri bagged the National Paralympic Sportswoman award.

The National Sportsman and Sportswoman as well as the National Paralympic Sportsman and Sportswoman award winners walked away with RM20,000 cash, trophy and certificate given out by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.