PHNOM PENH – National goalball player Izzah Atirah Tajuddin is on cloud nine.
First came the news that she had excelled in the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) 2022 examination.
Inspired, she then helped Malaysia beat Indonesia 3-0 to win bronze at the 2023 Asean Para Games (APG) here today.
The 18-year-old para athlete received a message from her 44-year-old mother, Norazlina Ibrahim, at about 10am Malaysian time that she had scored 7As (1A+, 3A-, 3A) and 1B in SPM.
“I did tell my mother last night that I wanted to find out the result on my own, but she was so thrilled with my exam results that she decided to share the good news with me before our game against Indonesia.
“So, during the game (at the Olympic Indoor Stadium), I gave my best, and we managed to thwart the Indonesians’ attacks,” said the second of five siblings, who is fondly called Tira.
The SMK Tun Hussein Onn, Johor, student combined with Nur Amalina Hares, Nur Shazatul Nadhirah Mohd Shuhaidi, Athirah Azman, Lim Zi Ling, and Nurin Amalin Ishak to help Malaysia finish third in Cambodia.
Izzah, who is making her maiden appearance at APG’s 12th edition, admitted that it was not easy balancing her time between sports and studies, but thanks to her family’s support and help, she managed to do just that.
The 18-year-old aspires to become a teacher and plans to further her studies by doing a diploma in sports science and coaching at Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris.
“My ambition is to be a teacher, because I like to share my knowledge with others. But even if I become a teacher, I still want to be an athlete,” she said.
Izzah, who has less than 50% vision, is confident she will continue to shine in the world of sports if she is given the opportunity to compete in more international competitions. – Bernama, June 8, 2023
