Nur Syahidah Alim (Singapore Athlete): Difference between revisions

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==Background==
==Background==
[[File:Syahidah Alim 2016.jpg|thumb|''Syahidah Alim at the 2016 Rio Paralympic Games. Photo from [https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/syahidah-steady-despite-broken-stool source].'']]
[[File:Syahidah Alim 2016.jpg|thumb|''Syahidah Alim at the 2016 Rio Paralympic Games. Photo from [https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/syahidah-steady-despite-broken-stool source].'']]
===Early life===
Nur Syahidah Alim was born with diplegia, a type of cerebral palsy which affects the lower limbs.<ref>Chiew, Cheryl. [https://zula.sg/para-archer/ “How This Singaporean Became The World No. 1 Para-Archer Despite Struggling With Cerebral Palsy: Nur Syahidah Alim]”. ''ZULA.sg.'' January 8, 2020. Accessed on 14 December 2020.</ref> Due to her medical condition, Syahidah Alim is wheelchair-bound most of the time, although she can walk without assistance for up to 30 minutes albeit with an unsteady gait.<ref name=":0" /> She picked up archery at 18 years old at a disability expo.<ref>WKWSCI Alumni Magazine. "[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zCl-8eHIQNE Syahidah Alim Wins The Emerging Star Award]". ''YouTube''. May 9, 2019. Accessed on 17 December 2020.</ref><ref>Singapore Disability Sports Council. "[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ggH9UQkGvaw Athlete Q&A | Nur Syahidah Alim]". ''YouTube''. May 12, 2020. Accessed on 17 December 2020.</ref> Speaking to SG Sports TV, she said:<blockquote>"Growing up, I never saw myself pursuing sports professionally nor being an inspiration... Archery has definitely changed my life. It makes me a better person both on the field and also in my daily life. Ever since I started archery, I have more self-confidence, I'm able to interact with people more; learning about their stories as well as my own."<ref name=":1">SG Sports TV. "[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8o7OLinuAGs Break The Limits - Nur Syahidah Alim]". ''YouTube''. September 2, 2017. Accessed on 17 December 2020.</ref></blockquote>
Nur Syahidah Alim was born with diplegia, a type of cerebral palsy which affects the lower limbs.<ref>Chiew, Cheryl. [https://zula.sg/para-archer/ “How This Singaporean Became The World No. 1 Para-Archer Despite Struggling With Cerebral Palsy: Nur Syahidah Alim]”. ''ZULA.sg.'' January 8, 2020. Accessed on 14 December 2020.</ref> Due to her medical condition, Syahidah Alim is wheelchair-bound most of the time, although she can walk without assistance for up to 30 minutes albeit with an unsteady gait.<ref name=":0" /> She picked up archery at 18 years old at a disability expo.<ref>WKWSCI Alumni Magazine. "[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zCl-8eHIQNE Syahidah Alim Wins The Emerging Star Award]". ''YouTube''. May 9, 2019. Accessed on 17 December 2020.</ref><ref>Singapore Disability Sports Council. "[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ggH9UQkGvaw Athlete Q&A | Nur Syahidah Alim]". ''YouTube''. May 12, 2020. Accessed on 17 December 2020.</ref> Speaking to SG Sports TV, she said:<blockquote>"Growing up, I never saw myself pursuing sports professionally nor being an inspiration... Archery has definitely changed my life. It makes me a better person both on the field and also in my daily life. Ever since I started archery, I have more self-confidence, I'm able to interact with people more; learning about their stories as well as my own."<ref name=":1">SG Sports TV. "[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8o7OLinuAGs Break The Limits - Nur Syahidah Alim]". ''YouTube''. September 2, 2017. Accessed on 17 December 2020.</ref></blockquote>


Revision as of 18:03, 17 December 2020

Nur Syahidah Alim
Nur Syahidah Alim.jpg
Born14 August 1985
EducationBachelor of Business Management, Master of Science (Knowledge Management)
Alma materSingapore Management University, Nanyang Technological University
Years active2015 - present

Nur Syahidah Alim (born 14 August 1985) is a Singaporean national athlete who competes in archery.[1] In June 2019, she became the first Singaporean in history to become a world champion in para-archery; winning a gold medal at the 2019 World Archery Para Championships.[2] In October that year, she became the world ranked number one paralympic archer in the individual compound women open rankings.[3] Syahidah Alim was named Sportswoman of the Year at the 2020 Singapore Disability Sports Awards for her accomplishments over the years, such as winning multiple gold medals for Singapore and being ranked world number one.[4]

Background

Syahidah Alim at the 2016 Rio Paralympic Games. Photo from source.

Nur Syahidah Alim was born with diplegia, a type of cerebral palsy which affects the lower limbs.[5] Due to her medical condition, Syahidah Alim is wheelchair-bound most of the time, although she can walk without assistance for up to 30 minutes albeit with an unsteady gait.[1] She picked up archery at 18 years old at a disability expo.[6][7] Speaking to SG Sports TV, she said:

"Growing up, I never saw myself pursuing sports professionally nor being an inspiration... Archery has definitely changed my life. It makes me a better person both on the field and also in my daily life. Ever since I started archery, I have more self-confidence, I'm able to interact with people more; learning about their stories as well as my own."[8]

Education

From 2007 to 2011, Syahidah Alim studied at Singapore Management University (SMU) where she graduated from the Lee Kong Chian School of Business with a Bachelor of Business Management.[9][10] She furthered her studies at Nanyang Technological University (NTU), obtaining a Masters of Science in Knowledge Management in 2012.[11][12]

Career

After completing her graduate studies in 2012, Syahidah Alim worked as a communications and public education executive for the Asian Women’s Welfare Association (AWWA). She then joined Sport Singapore in 2014 holding roles in knowledge management and corporate strategy.[12]

Competitive archery

Syahidah Alim made her competitive debut in 2015 at the Bangkok Para Archery Championships. Since then, she has competed in a total of 17 competitions of which 10 are podium finishes.[13][14] In a video interview with ZULA, Syahidah Alim shared the following about her preparation style:

"For me, my process is like a form of art. Before the start of every shoot, I will tell myself to breathe in confidence and breathe out anxiety... I imagine myself hitting the 'X' all the time."[15]

Syahidah Alim is classified as a W3 athlete in para archery due to her diplegia, sitting on a stool with her legs touching the ground during competitions.[16] She shoots with a compound bow which has a draw strength of 18kg.[1] Syahidah Alim has been coached by Rachel Sng and is currently coached by Pang Qing Liang.[17][18]

Landmark competitions

Syahidah Alim and teammate Robert Fuchs at the 2015 ASEAN Paralympic Games. Photo credit to Kua Chee Siong/ ST PHOTO.

In December 2015, Syahidah Alim won her first gold medals for Singapore at the ASEAN Paralympic Games.[14] Speaking about the competition two years on, she said:

"It was my first major games. What is most memorable is definitely winning the two gold medals for Singapore... It's something I never expected but it was one of the proudest moments that I can remember as an archer."[8]

A year after her first wins, Syahidah Alim became the first Singaporean para-archer to compete at the Rio Paralympic Games in Brazil where she reached the quarter-finals.[19][20] In June 2019 at the World Archery Para Championships in the Netherlands, Syahidah Alim made history when she became the first Singaporean world champion in para archery; edging out the defending world champion Jessica Stretton from Britain to claim the gold medal.[21] In an interview with Channel News Asia, she said the following:

“I was only focusing on my coach’s voice, my process and routine. It was a really happy moment for me. It’s my first gold medal at my first para world champs. I’m very happy and very proud that I was able to win that gold medal for my country.”[22]

She is set to represent Singapore at the 2021 Tokyo Paralympic Games in Japan.

Podium finishes

The following is a list of Syahidah Alim's podium finishes since her competitive debut in 2015. As of December 2020, she has won seven gold medals, two silver medals and one bronze medal.[13]

Year Event Location Category Medal Refs.
2020 6th Fazza Para Archery World Ranking Tournament United Arab Emirates Compound women open Gold [23]
2019 Bangkok 2019 Asian Para Archery Championships Thailand Gold [24]
Para Archery European Cup Circuit Czech Republic Silver [13]
World Archery Para Championships Netherlands Gold [25][26]
Grand Prix Mexicano Mexico Gold [27]
2018 Macau Indoor Archery Open Macau Compound women Silver [28][29]
Nove Mesto 2018 Para Archery European Circuit World Ranking Tournament Czech Republic Compound women open Bronze [30]
2017 2017 Para Archery World Ranking Event Thailand Gold [31]
2015 ASEAN Paralympic Games Singapore Gold [14]
Mixed team compound open Gold

References/ Citations

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Panditurai, Yogaraj. “Paralympics: Syahidah Alim becomes Singapore's 1st para-archer”. The Straits Times. September 2, 2016. Accessed on 14 December 2020.
  2. ↑ “Archer Nur Syahidah Alim claims gold in world para-championships”. Channel News Asia. June 9, 2019. Accessed on 14 December 2020.
  3. ↑ Syahidah Alim. "6 Oct 2019 - #OMG. We finally made it.". Facebook. October 6, 2019. Accessed on 14 December 2020.
  4. ↑ Kwek, Kimberly. “Para sports: Archer Nur Syahidah Alim, bowler Eric Foo win big at Singapore Disability Sports Awards”. The Straits Times. August 7, 2020. Accessed on 15 December 2020.
  5. ↑ Chiew, Cheryl. “How This Singaporean Became The World No. 1 Para-Archer Despite Struggling With Cerebral Palsy: Nur Syahidah Alim”. ZULA.sg. January 8, 2020. Accessed on 14 December 2020.
  6. ↑ WKWSCI Alumni Magazine. "Syahidah Alim Wins The Emerging Star Award". YouTube. May 9, 2019. Accessed on 17 December 2020.
  7. ↑ Singapore Disability Sports Council. "Athlete Q&A | Nur Syahidah Alim". YouTube. May 12, 2020. Accessed on 17 December 2020.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 SG Sports TV. "Break The Limits - Nur Syahidah Alim". YouTube. September 2, 2017. Accessed on 17 December 2020.
  9. ↑ "SPD Education Programme 2012 – Speech By Mr Heng Swee Keat". SPD. February 18, 2012. Accessed on 17 December 2020.
  10. ↑ SMU Alumni. "Congratulations to archer and SMU alumna Nur Syahidah Alim for becoming WORLD NUMBER 1 in World Archery’s Para World Rankings!!". Facebook. October 6, 2019. Accessed on 17 December 2020.
  11. ↑ "Commitment to distinction". Nanyang Technological University. October 2018. Accessed on 17 December 2020.
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 Nur Syahidah Alim. LinkedIn. n.d. Accessed on 14 December 2020. Retrieved from: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nur-syahidah-alim-5a5b8449/
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 “Nur Syahidah Alim”. World Archery. n.d. Accessed on 14 December 2020.
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 14.2 Wong, Jonathan. “Asean Para Games: Syahidah Alim wins Singapore's first-ever archery gold medals”. The Straits Times. December 6, 2015. Accessed on 14 December 2020.
  15. ↑ ZULA. "Cerebral Palsy Didn't Stop Her Becoming World No. 1 Archer : Nur Syahidah Alim | ZULA Features | EP 27". YouTube. January 8, 2020. Accessed on 17 December 2020.
  16. ↑ “Archery At The Paralympic Games”. World Archery. n.d. Accessed on 14 December 2020.
  17. ↑ SG Sports TV. "#CoachSG: Archery Coach Rachel Sng and Syahidah Alim". YouTube. November 21, 2017. Accessed on 17 December 2020.
  18. ↑ "Nur Syahidah wins gold in Asian Para Archery C'ships". The New Paper. October 27, 2019. Accessed on 17 December 2020.
  19. ↑ G.Buvankumaar. "Two more earn the nod for Rio Paralympics". The New Paper. June 21, 2016. Accessed on 17 December 2020.
  20. ↑ “Para-athletes Toh Wei Soong, Nur Syahidah Alim get a boost from BP”. The New Paper. May 9, 2019. Accessed on 17 December 2020.
  21. ↑ Chia, Nicole. "Para sports: Archer Nur Syahidah Alim claims gold medal in world championships bow". The Straits Times. June 10, 2019. Accessed on 17 December 2020.
  22. ↑ “Archer Nur Syahidah Alim claims gold in world para-championships”. Channel News Asia. June 9, 2019. Accessed on 14 December 2020.
  23. ↑ “Fazza 2020: Singapore’s Alim lives up to her reputation in Dubai”. International Paralympic Committee. February 27, 2020. Accessed on 14 December 2020.
  24. ↑ Lee, David. “Para sports: Nur Syahidah Alim strikes gold at Asian Championships in Bangkok”. The Straits Times. October 26, 2019. Accessed on 14 December 2020.
  25. ↑ “Archer Nur Syahidah Alim claims gold in world para-championships”. Channel News Asia. June 9, 2019. Accessed on 14 December 2020.
  26. ↑ World Archery. “Nur Syahidah Alim v Jessica Stretton – compound women gold | Den Bosch 2019 Para Championships”. YouTube. June 13, 2019. Accessed on 15 December 2020.
  27. ↑ “Compound Women Open - GRAND PRIX MEXICANO 2019 WORLD RANKING EVENT”. World Archery. n.d. Accessed on 14 December 2020.
  28. ↑ “Compound Women - MACAU INDOOR ARCHERY OPEN”. World Archery. n.d. Accessed on 15 December 2020.
  29. ↑ World Archery. “Alexis Ruiz v Nur Syahidah Alim – compound women’s gold | Macau Open 2018”. YouTube. December 6, 2018. Accessed on 15 December 2020.
  30. ↑ “Compound Women Open - NOVE MESTO 2018 PARA ARCHERY EUROPEAN CIRCUIT 2ND LEG WORLD RANKING TOURNAMENT”. World Archery. n.d. Accessed on 15 December 2020.
  31. ↑ “Compound Women Open - 2017 PARA-ARCHERY WORLD RANKING EVENT”. World Archery. n.d. Accessed on 14 December 2020.
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