The latest addition to the Singaporean contingent bound for the London 2012 Paralympic Games will mark a historical milestone for our young nation, as it is the first time Singapore has qualified to compete with other world’s best in the sport of Boccia at this equivalent of the Olympic Games.
Ms Nurulasyiqah Binte Mohd Taha, 27, who has been training in Boccia since 2004, has been confirmed on her qualification to represent Singapore after demonstrating a promising history of competitive achievements and eligibility for the multi-disciplinary Games, which is considered the pinnacle of elite competitions for athletes with disability.
Although she is currently ranked No. 8 in the world in her category (BC3), Nurulasyiqah will be facing a tough fight against longtime Paralympic elites from Korea, Portugal and other countries in her debut. Nonetheless, the first-time Paralympian is not prepared to back down under pressure. “As a new Paralympian, I’d like to believe that I am relieved of the baggage associated with personal performances at past Games. I have a clean slate to put into motion my plans to outplay the other Boccia players.”
She added that she would not have come this far without the understanding of her employer, the Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore (IRAS), and others who have come forth to support her, even while she was a relatively unknown athlete.
Gert Labuschagne, President of element14 Asia Pacific, a world-leading marketer and distributor of electronic and maintenance, repair and operations (MRO) products which has contributed significant sponsorship for Nurul’s training and development towards the London 2012 qualification, said, “We are extremely proud of Nurul for securing a place at the 2012 Paralympics. Our staff has been supporting her since 2010 and it has been inspiring for them to work together with her. Nurul’s dedication, perseverance and hard work, which reflect our own company beliefs, have brought her this far and will certainly continue to bring her further, and we look forward to supporting her on this special journey to London 2012.”
Nurulasyiqah is the eighth athlete to have qualified to represent Singapore at the London 2012 Paralympic Games, which will be held from 29 August to 9 September 2012. The contingent is set to battle for national honours at the Games in four sports as of current, including Boccia, Equestrian, Swimming and Sailing. The delegation will be led by Chef-De-Mission, Mr Frankie Thanapal Sinniah PBM BBM, Secretary General of SNPC who was also one of the first national athletes with disability in Singapore.
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About the Singapore National Paralympic Council
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The Singapore National Paralympic Council (SNPC) is the national body recognised by the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) and other international disability sports affiliates to represent disability sports in Singapore. A nonprofit organisation, the SNPC selects and coordinates the involvement of Singaporean athletes with disability at major games such as the Paralympic Games, the Commonwealth Games, the Asian Para Games, the Asian Youth Para Games and the ASEAN Para Games. For more information, please visit www.snpc.org.sg. |
About Boccia
Boccia is a precision sport similar to Bocce, but designed for people with severe disability. Opposing players aim to land leather balls of their colour nearest to a target ball called the jack. There are four sport classes in Boccia, according to the players’ functional ability. Nurul’s category, BC3, is a classification for players with very severe locomotor dysfunction in all four extremities, meaning that they have no sustained grasp or release action and insufficient range of movement to propel a Boccia ball onto the court. Nurulasyiqah, who has spinal muscular dystrophy, uses a ramp and an assistant to help her deliver the ball. Boccia is one of the three Paralympic sports without counterparts in the Olympic Games.
