After twenty-eight years of competing for our beloved Malaysia, and winning 74 medals, Shalin said, “It is the right time to go.”
I worked with Shalin when I was the High Performance and PODIUM Communications Manager at the National Sports Council from 2016-2018. I must say she and all the Tenpin Bowlers are the easiest athletes to work with. They all have that drive, desire and hunger of always wanting to win. All the Tenpin Bowling athletes look up to Shalin and even refer to her as “Kak.” Shalin is also a real leader and had a great way of mentoring younger athletes without feeling threatened.
When I contacted Shalin and asked her about why she decided to retire, she said, “It is the right time for me to call it a day because I had a lot of time to think about it in 2020. I have achieved almost everything there is in the sport and it is now time to move on.”
Shalin also said that the constant injuries are never fun and were a contributing factor to her retirement decision. She further commented and said, “I have had quite a few injuries in the last five years. I have injured my foot, ankle, wrist, and even had a minor slip disc. In almost all the major championships I have competed, I was carrying injuries. So it is now time to rest and recover.”
Shalin was a little emotional when answering questions about her retirement until I asked her to select her most outstanding career result/achievement. She chuckled and said, “I have been very fortunate to have quite a few memorable memories in my wins. The 2017 Kuala Lumpur South-East-Asian Games-Masters event was a real stand out, as I had to really push myself. I was bowling for almost twelve hours. It was physically really taxing and I had to take a week off after that competition.”
Shalin also has fond memories of the 2018 Asian Championships where she won Gold in the Singles. This event will always stay as “top of mind” for our bowling legend as she was "playing hurt” due to the injuries she was carrying during the competition.
Part of my role at the National Sports Council was running the Winning Mentality program. Shalin does not know this, but I would constantly use her as an example to the younger athletes, as she is a three-time World Champion (2003, 2007 & 2017) that has passion, amazing mental toughness, and a feeling of “no fear” to wanting to destroy her opponents. She was never intimidated even if you were from America, Britain or the other big sporting nations. Her mentality was and still is, “I am Malaysian, and don’t you dare think you can push me over. You are all on my strike list.”
Thank you, Shalin for what you have done for Malaysian Tenpin Bowling and sports. We wish you all the best in your career in Sports Management and Entrepreneurship. Thank you also to your lovely daughter, Aleya, for always making me laugh. Like her Mum, she is a born entertainer and winner.
Ben Ibrahim is a TV Commentator, Sports & Media Consultant. In his career, he has also worked for FIBA, FISU, Foxsports, and the Ministry of Youth & Sports.
He also set-up the Malaysia Valke Rugby Club for the 2019 & 2020 Global Rapid Rugby competition.
You can contact him on his public Facebook page Or through his Instagram @benibrahim_
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