BIRMINGHAM: National lawn bowlers Siti Zalina Ahmad and Emma Firyana Saroji began their mission to defend the women’s pairs title at the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games on the right note after winning their opening game today.
But victory did not come easy for the gold medallists of the 2018 edition in Gold Coast, Australia, as they were given a tough time by Rosemary Ogier-Lucy Beere of Guernsey before prevailing 22-19 at Victoria Park, Leamington Spa.
Siti Zalina-Emma Firyana will take on Matapa Puia-Nooroa Mataio of Cook Islands in the second game on Aug 3.
Fairul Izan Abd Muin also cleared his first hurdle in men’s singles with a routine 21-4 win over Jamaican Robert Simpson.
The national squad then enjoyed another opening game win when Muhammad Idham Amin Ramlan, Izzat Shameer Dzulkeple, Mohammad Syamil Syazwan Ramli and Muhammad Soufi Rusli brushed aside Brunei 21-8 in the men’s fours event.
However, the national women’s triples squad experienced mixed fortunes today, winning one game and losing the other.
The national trio of Nur Ain Nabilah Tarmizi, Syafiqa Haidar Afif Abdul Rahman and Azlina Arshad lost 17-14 to Fiji before bouncing back to defeat Norfolk Island 24-8. — Bernama