KUALA LUMPUR: Young rising star Zatil Iman Abdul Ghani will be out to consolidate her place in the SEA Games bowling squad when she swings into action in the 2nd Asian Indoor Games, which will be held in Macau from Oct 26-Nov 3.
The 19-year-old Zatil, who bagged her first senior international title at the Singapore Open last month, is one of the bowlers in the eight-member team down for the Indoor Games.
Based on her current form, back-up bowler Zatil is one of the frontrunners for the six-member women’s team for the SEA Games bowling competition in Bangkok.
The others in the team for Macau are Trish Khoo, Nornahizah Abu Bakar, Sin Li Jane, Mohd Zaid Izlan Ibrahim Hakimi, Syahereza Fajrin Abdul Manan, Lim Chin Lung and Mohd Nur Aiman.
Yesterday, Games chef-de-mission Datuk Roy Rajasingham said the Asian Indoor Games would be a platform for some of Malaysia’s athletes to prepare for the SEA Games.
“Some of the top athletes are involved in bowling, hockey and futsal. I am confident that the Macau Games will provide them with stiff competition,” said Rajasingham, who is also the Olympic Council of Malaysia’s (OCM) vice-president.
Malaysia will be competing in nine out of the 16 sports in Macau. The sports are bowling, chess, xiangqi (Chinese chess), dancesport, dragon and lion dance, extreme sports, futsal, cycling, hockey and kabbadi.
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“I regret that we are not represented in athletics. These Games are a springboard for athletes to earn places to compete in other regional and international tournaments,” he said.
On the projected medal target in Macau, Rajasingham said: “We have a conservative goal of winning at least five gold and three silver medals.”
At the inaugural Indoor Games, Malaysia took part in only two sports and returned home with one gold medal through Ahmad Fadzil Musa in skateboarding.
The athletes are funded by their respective national sports associations. Incentives are not given but the OCM will consider if there are outstanding results.
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