KUALA LUMPUR – Competing at the recent Australian Open has given national lawn bowls pair Syafiqa Haidar Afif Abdul Rahman and Aleena Ahmad Nawawi a timely boost ahead of their Commonwealth Games campaign, with the tournament’s identical competition format providing ideal preparation for Glasgow.
The Malaysian duo believe the experience gained in Australia, combined with a series of friendly matches in Scotland, has left them well prepared for the start of the women’s pairs competition tomorrow.
Syafiqa said the Australian Open provided valuable insight into the demands of the Commonwealth Games, allowing the pair to familiarise themselves with the format and sharpen their approach ahead of one of the year’s biggest competitions.
“The Australian Open was probably the best preparation we could have asked for because it used exactly the same competition format as the Commonwealth Games,” Syafiqa told Scoop.
“It allowed us to understand how we need to manage each match, maintain our consistency throughout the tournament and cope with the demands of playing several high-intensity games. Experiences like that are extremely important because they help us arrive here feeling much more prepared and confident.”
The 2023 world champion added that Malaysia’s warm-up matches in Scotland had also proved invaluable, giving the coaching staff an opportunity to study rival teams while allowing the players to adapt to local conditions.
Malaysia faced several international opponents, including Singapore and Malta, during their pre-Games preparations.
“The friendly matches have been extremely beneficial because we were able to adapt to the greens and weather conditions while also observing the strengths and tactics of other teams,” she said.
“We learnt a great deal from those matches. We could see how our opponents approached different situations, identify the areas where we need to improve and fine-tune our own game plan before the competition begins.
“Every match has been part of our preparation, and we feel we have made good progress. Now it’s about staying focused, taking one game at a time and executing what we’ve worked on during training.”
Syafiqa said the pair remain determined to achieve the target set by the Malaysian contingent and deliver a medal-winning performance in Glasgow.
“Like every athlete representing Malaysia, our goal is to perform to the best of our abilities and achieve the target that has been set for us. Hopefully, all the hard work we’ve put in over the past few months will pay off and we’ll be able to contribute a medal for the country.”
Lawn bowls has established itself as one of Malaysia’s most reliable medal-producing sports at the Commonwealth Games, consistently delivering podium finishes over the past two decades.
At the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, Malaysia won two medals in the sport. Syafiqa, Emma Firyana Saroji and Azlina Arshad claimed silver in the women’s triples, while veteran Siti Zalina Ahmad added a bronze medal in the women’s singles.
Malaysia has enjoyed notable success in lawn bowls since making its breakthrough on home soil at the 1998 Kuala Lumpur Commonwealth Games, producing multiple Commonwealth champions over the years, including Siti Zalina, who remains one of the country’s most decorated bowlers.
The sport has regularly featured among Malaysia’s key medal contributors at the Games, reinforcing its reputation as one of the nation’s traditional strengths. — July 23, 2026