Chance for a medal likely from women shooters in Asian Games

PETALING JAYA: Malaysia, thanks to the inclusion of Bibiana Ng and Joseline Cheah, will have full entries in the women’s 10m pistol and a fighting chance for a medal at the Hangzhou Asian Games (Sept 23-Oct 8).

Podium shooter Nurul Syasya Nadiah Arifin was initially the only shooter who made it in category A after meeting the qualifying mark of 571 during the Changwon World Cup leg leg in South Korea where she did 574.

Bibiana, 46, had to wait until the last day of the Asian Games deadline for the Olympic Council of Malaysia to confirm her place in category A although she did 571 at Tun Haniff Cup in January while Joseline, 40, made it under category B after registering 570 in the Chia Who Trophy in Subang last week.

This means Malaysia will have three shooters for the individual event and they will be eligible for the team event.

Malaysia will also have two shooters in the women’s 25m pistol where Alia Sazana Azahari will be joined by Bibiana.

National coach Firdaus Abdul Rahim was hoping to have a bigger team to fight for a medal and hopes that the shooters will take their chances well in Hangzhou.

“It is always tough when you have one shooter in each event but we have three qualify for the women’s 10m pistol and this will help them to perform better,” said Firdaus.

“Joseline’s qualification had also helped as we can compete in the team event as well and a better chance to fight for a medal.

“Alia will also have Bibiana for company in the 25m pistol and having a teammate competing together always helps.

“We also have shooters qualify for the rifle event and they will be led by veteran Nur Suryani (Taibi) and we can also expect them to battle for podium finish.”

Suryani, 40, is the most successful Malaysian shooter at the Asian Games as she had a silver medal in the 50m rifle prone and bronze in the team event at the Incheon Games in 2014.

She had also won a bronze in the 10m air rifle at the 2010 Guangzhou Games. Suryani is likely to compete in the women’s 50m three position event in Hangzhou where she will have rising shooter Alia Husna Budruddin going under category B.

Haritz Iklil Hessly Hafiz will make his Asiad debut in the men’s 10m air rifle while Olympian Bernard Yeoh (trap) and Joseph Lee (skeet) have qualified on category B.

Malaysia’s best result in shooting was achieved in 2014 where they won two silvers and a bronze medal – all in rifle events.

Besides Suryani and the women’s rifle prone team, Ezuan Nasir Khan secured silver in the men’s 50m rifle prone.