SINGAPORE: In a thrilling display of skill and solidarity, Singapore’s national boccia para-athletes brought home gold medals from the recent Pajulahti World Boccia Challenger 2024 in Finland.
They also demonstrated the true spirit of teamwork when disaster struck one of their own midway through the competition, showcasing a heartwarming display of camaraderie that will surely inspire many Team Singapore athletes and supporters alike.
Nurulasyiqah Moh Taha faced a daunting challenge when her motorized wheelchair’s battery charger malfunctioned during the competition.
However, fellow Singapore national boccia athlete Toh Sze Ning came to the rescue, lending her own charger to Nurulasyiqah, enabling her to continue competing.
“I’m so grateful for the people who have patiently stood and stuck by me, especially during my ‘gap’ years of 2020-2023. A new chapter is being written, and I’m only looking forward (to it).
Thank you, Sze Ning, for extending to me a ‘lifeline’!” shared Nurulasyiqah, who started playing boccia in 2004 and won her first regional medal at the Asia and South Pacific Boccia Championships.
Singapore ended the tournament in Finland, which was held from May 10 to May 16, with two gold medals. Nurul, who has spinal muscular atrophy, won in the BC3 Female Individuals event, while Toh and teammate Aloysius Gan Kai Hong performed stellar in the BC3 Mixed Pairs category.
This was Nurulasyiqah’s first podium finish at an international tournament in a decade. She last tasted victory in 2014 when she won the gold medal at the Montreal Boccia World Open with her competition partner Nur Azizah.
Nurulasyiqah dominated the BC3 Female Individuals event at the World Boccia Challenger 2024, winning 10-1 against Lujain Althaqfi (Saudi Arabia) and 7-1 against Tanija Madsen (Denmar) in Pool B.
She then triumphed 5-3 over Italy’s Giulia Marchisio in the semi-finals and defeated Nancy Poser of Germany 6-2 to seal her gold medal.
Toh and Gan also excelled in the BC3 Mixed Pairs event, supported by their competition partners Chew Zi Qun and Eve Cher. The pair cruised to 7-1 and 8-0 wins over Finland and Saudi Arabia, respectively, in their Pool A matches.
In the semi-finals, they beat Germany 6-2 and clinched the gold medal with a convincing 9-0 win against Italy. The national boccia athletes’ achievements in Finland added to Team Singapore’s success earlier in the month.
Jeralyn Tan (pictured below) successfully defended her gold medal title in the BC1 Female Individual category at the Montreal 2024 World Boccia Cup, held from April 29 to May 5.
“I am very proud of her. Jeralyn was nervous initially but eventually composed and got the game under control,” said coach Yurnita, who assisted Tan during the competition.
The ASEAN Para Games multiple medallist made a dominant start in the tournament, sweeping past Kateřina Cuřínová of the Czech Republic 9-0 and Hiromi Endo of Japan 9-4 in Pool A.
Although she suffered a narrow 3-2 loss to Poland’s Kinga Koza in the final round-robin match, Tan still emerged as the group winner.
Tan powered into the gold medal match with a convincing 4-1 semi-final win over France’s Aurélie Aubert and then clinched a spot on the podium with a hard-fought 4-2 victory over Endo in the final, capping off a remarkable tournament run.
Tan’s next challenge is on the horizon. She will defend her title at the Povoa de Varzim World Boccia Cup in Portugal this July. She may also make her highly anticipated Paralympic debut in Paris from Aug 28 to Sept 8.
There, she will aim to make a lasting impression on the global stage, with qualification via the world rankings a strong possibility.