Archer Nur Syahidah Alim wins silver at Asia Para Cup

For a period after the 2024 Paralympics, Singapore para-athlete Nur Syahidah Alim found herself in a rut, weighed down by the pressure of competition and questioning her archery pursuit.

But a break to reset both mentally and physically appeared to work wonders.

The 39-year-old was beaming on Feb 10 after claiming the women's individual compound open silver at the Asia Para Cup-World Ranking Tournament in Bangkok.

Although she was pipped to the title by a one-point margin in the 143-142 final loss to India's Sarita Adhana, it marked a creditable return to competition since she crashed out in the last 32 at the Paris Games last August.

Syahidah, who was born with diplegia, a form of cerebral palsy marked by stiff lower limbs and difficulty walking or standing for extended periods of time, said: "(After Paris) I had the chance to slow down, reflect and reconnect with why I started archery in the first place.

"It wasn't just about stepping away - it was about rediscovering the fun and joy in shooting, without the pressure of competition."

In December 2024, the three-time Paralympian wrote in an Instagram post: "Behind the scenes, this journey wasn't always smooth.

"There were moments I felt I wasn't enough, and the weight of it brought me to the verge of questioning my life in high-performance sports.

"It took me some time to reflect. Paris taught me to see beyond the outcome and celebrate the journey - the resilience, the lessons, and the incredible people who've supported me along the way.

"I don't know what the future will hold, but all the more I'm excited to find out.

"I will continue to push forward and take on each day rediscovering the joy of archery and competing. Here's to embracing every shot, no matter where it lands."

The 2019 world champion was good for her word. In Bangkok, Syahidah dominated the qualification round to finish top out of 12 athletes with a score of 673.

She kept up her fine form in the elimination stages, beating Malaysia's Nur Jannaton Abdul Jalil 138-132 in the quarter-finals and then India's Jyoti Baliyan 141-136 in the semi-finals.

But world No. 6 Sarita, a quarter-finalist at the Paris Paralympics, proved a formidable opponent and produced the best score in the decider to edge out Syahidah for the gold.

Reflecting on her performance, the Singaporean world No. 5 added: "I feel happy and grateful for this achievement in my first competition for 2025.

"It has also reminded me of the journey I've been on and how much I've progressed, and I am motivated to keep pushing forward."

Syahidah will now set her sights on upcoming international tournaments such as the Asian Para Archery Championships in June in Beijing, the World Para Archery Championships in September in Gwangju and the Asean Para Games to be held in January 2026 in Thailand.

Her coach Pang Qing Liang noted: "Following the Paris 2024 Paralympics, we have been focusing on enhancing the consistency of her shooting technique and incorporating new mental frameworks.

"Overall, she has made progress, and we will continue to refine her shooting fundamentals and mental approach."