Malaysia’s government has launched an appeal to Commonwealth Games organisers to have rifle shooter Nur Ayuni Farhana Abdul Halim reinstated in the competition after she was withdrawn because her jacket was lost en route to Scotland.
Ayuni, who won the Commonwealth Games gold medal with Nur Suryani Taibi in the 10-metre air rifle pairs in New Delhi four years ago, was left devastated by her team’s decision after the garment failed to turn up in time for Monday’s registration.
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Malaysia team manager Musa Omar said a borrowed jacket did not fit, while Ayuni said a new one would take two months to get used to so he was forced to instead register Muslifah Zulkifli in the 10m air rifle and Suryani in the 50m prone.
However, there remained a glimmer of hope that Ayuni, who is still in Glasgow, could compete in the shooting competition, which begins today.
“We will appeal on her behalf if we can locate the jacket,” Khairy Jamaluddin, the youth and sports minister, told the Malaysian Star newspaper.
“If not, then it will definitely affect our prospects of winning gold medals in shooting.
“It’s really unfortunate that her jacket did not arrive from London even though Ayuni and the national shooting team landed in Glasgow on July 17.
“She’s devastated.”
Pressure on India badminton player builds with Tendulkar watching
India’s Venkata Pusarla Sindhu has to contend not only with the hopes of her nation but the pressure of impressing her most famous fan in the Commonwealth Games badminton competition.
Sindhu, 19, knows that her country’s most well-known sportsman, cricket great Sachin Tendulkar, will be taking a keen interest when she competes in the women’s singles in Glasgow.
The master batsman and leading run-scorer in Test history presented her with a car when she became the first Indian to win the junior Asian Championship in 2012.
“I met him [Tendulkar] and he gave me a car, I was very happy,” Sindhu said. “He said, ‘well done’ and he congratulated me. It was a real surprise.”
Sinhu, the top seed, is among the favourites to win gold in Glasgow after her Indian teammate and defending Commonwealth Games champion Saina Nehwal withdrew due to injury.
Olympic champion Pearson likely to pull out of 100m
Sally Pearson of Australia says she is doubtful for the 100 metres at the Commonwealth Games due to hamstring problems, but she still hopes to compete in her speciality, the 100m hurdles event, in which she won gold at London 2012.
Pearson will have to make her decision by Saturday, with the 100m heats scheduled to start on Monday.
“The latest I can pull out is 48 hours, and right now it is more likely I am going to,” Pearson said. “We’re at the stage where I can’t do two events.”
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