From Amiril Muttaqien Meketar
PARIS, Sept 1 (Bernama) -- National boccia player Noor Askuzaimey Mat Salim’s hope of delivering the first medal for Malaysia at the 2024 Paris Paralympic Games was dashed after being outplayed by Colombia’s Leidy Chica Chica 7-1 in the bronze medal playoff of the women’s individual BC4 (physical impairment) category today.
The world number one Colombian dominated the proceedings at the South Paris Arena 1 for a comprehensive victory over the Malaysian in their first-ever meeting.
In the semi-finals earlier today, the 38-year-old Noor Askuzaimey lost 7-0 to Hong Kong’s Cheung Yeun while Chica Chica fell to a slim 4-3 defeat by China’s Lin Xinmei.
National boccia coach Raja Zahrule Azhar Raja Khairul Anwar said they never expected Noor Askuzaimey to get this far in her maiden appearance at the Paralympics.
“She joined the national boccia squad in 2017 but quit in 2020. She rejoined the squad in 2023.
“That’s why she had a short preparation time of almost a year and a half to readjust to the high-level competition environment, such as Paris 2024. However, I’m still proud of her,” he said when met at the mixed zone here.
Noor Askuzaimey began her maiden Paralympic Games campaign in style, winning all three matches to top Group B.
She got the ball rolling by dispatching Ukraine’s Nataliia Konenko 8-6 before edging Canada's Alison Levine 3-2 and outplaying Egypt’s Hanaa Elfar 11-3.
The 2022 Hangzhou Asian Para Games gold medallist, who marched into the quarter-finals as Group B champion, kept the momentum going by ousting Greece’s Chrisy Morfi Metzou 7-0 yesterday.
Noor Askuzaimey can still make amends for her disappointment when she competes in the mixed pairs BC4 event with Abdul Razzaq Abdul Rahman next.
-- BERNAMA
