Afya Najiha stuns national archer Joey Tan to claim Sukma gold
KAJANG: Terengganu archer Afya Najiha Shaari shed tears of joy after pulling off a major upset to beat Sarawak's hotshot Joey Tan 6-5 and win the women's recurve 70-metre gold at the Selangor Malaysia Games (Sukma) on Thursday.
In a dramatic upset at the Selangor Malaysia Games (Sukma) on Thursday, Terengganu archer Afya Najiha Shaari stunned national champion Joey Tan to capture the women's recurve 70-metre gold. The final at INSPEN Stadium saw Afya Najiha fight back twice, forcing the match into a fifth end where the scores were tied at 27-27. The winner was determined in a shoot-off, where Afya Najiha edged out Joey Tan by firing an eight-point arrow, while Joey managed only six points.
The victory came as a balm to Afya Najiha's disappointment at the 2024 Sukma in Sarawak, where she struggled with scores below 300 and low confidence. Speaking after the win, Afya Najiha expressed her disbelief, stating, "I still cannot believe it. This success is not mine alone. My parents have always helped me, as have my coaches, who have constantly supported me."
Before Sukma, Afya Najiha was in a low point, but she believed this might be her last opportunity to compete in archery. Federal Territories archer Alia Qursyiah Mazlan claimed the bronze after a 6-0 victory over Kelantan's Emira Damia Sokhibul Fadhil.
Written by urgent.news from New Straits Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
