Anisah Najihah binti Abdullah (born 4 February 1997)[3] is a Bruneian pencak silat athlete.

Anisah Najihah
BornAnisah Najihah binti Abdullah[1]
(1997-02-04) 4 February 1997 (age 27)
Brunei
NationalityBruneian
Height177 cm (5 ft 10 in)
StylePencak silat
TrainerPengiran Tejudin Md Salleh[2]
UniversityUniversiti Brunei Darussalam
Medal record
Women's pencak silat
Representing  Brunei
SEA Games
Silver medal – second place 2023 Phnom Penh team
Silver medal – second place 2021 Hanoi team
Bronze medal – third place 2019 Subic Bay single
ASEAN School Games
Gold medal – first place 2015 Bandar Seri Begawan single
Bronze medal – third place 2015 Bandar Seri Begawan team
BIMP-EAGA Friendship Games
Gold medal – first place 2018 Bandar Seri Begawan team
Gold medal – first place 2018 Bandar Seri Begawan single

Early life and education

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Anisah Najihah attended Universiti Brunei Darussalam and is the elder of two siblings. She played badminton, jogged, swam, and played netball before taking up pencak silat. She started swimming at the age of four and joined a swimming club at eleven due to her mother's insistence, despite her lack of interest. She looks up to seni tunggal (single) champions Puspa Arumsari from Indonesia and Nurzuhairah Yazid from Singapore as her role models.[4]

Career

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After Anisah Najihah earned the nation's first gold medal in the seven years of the competition, Brunei recorded its best-ever result at the 7th ASEAN School Games, which came to an end on 27 November 2015.[5] She won a gold medal in the women's single event, which took place at the Hassanal Bolkiah National Sports Complex's Multipurpose Hall. Through Anisah, Qistina Athirah, and Nurhamizah, the nation was also successful in winning bronze medals in the women's team event.[1]

Anisah Najihah had to settle for fourth place with a score of 448 during the 9th BIMP-EAGA Friendship Games on 8 December 2016, missing out on bronze by a single point.[6]

On 29 August 2018, at the Padepokan Taman Mini Indah Indonesia (TMII) in Jakarta, Anisah Najihah, Nur Azimatunnaemah Simat, and Qistina Athirah were just one point away from placing on the podium in the women's artistic team event of the 18th Asian Games. In the three-minute competition, the trio scored 447 points overall, one point less than fourth-place Singapore and one point ahead of fifth-place Thailand, who scored 448 points to earn bronze.[7] The women's single event final of the 2018 Sukma Games took place on 19 September 2018, in Kuala Kangsar's Dewan Jubli Perak. She represented Brunei, placing sixth with 432 points.[8]

On 7 December 2018, at the Youth Center, athletes from Brunei achieved podium placements in the pencak silat event of the 10th BIMP-EAGA Friendship Games 2018. In the women's single event, Anisah Najihah of team Brunei Darussalam 'A' won gold, followed by Yuniah Oktaviani of South Sulawesi in silver and Nurimah binti Ramlee of Sarawak in third.[9] The women trio representatives, Nur Wasiqah Aziemah, Anisah Najihah, and Qistina Athirah Zainal, won a gold medal in the women's team event after scoring 459 points.[10]

Anisah Najihah made her debut at the 2019 SEA Games memorable when she placed third out of eight participants in the women's single event, winning a bronze medal, in the Philippines on 3 December 2019.[11] The 22-year-old won the bronze medal at the Subic Bay Exhibition and Convention Center with a score of 451 points.[12]

Brunei's flag-bearer for the 2021 SEA Games in Hanoi, Vietnam was Anisah Najihah.[13] Her national pencak silat team got off to a great start on 11 May 2022, taking home silver medals in the Bac Tu Liem Sporting Hall. In the women's artistic team event, Anisah Najihah, Norleyermah Raya, and Nur Wasiqah Aziemah secured the silver medal with a combined score of 9.915 points, while Vietnam secured the gold medal with a score of 9.965 points.[14] She didn't realise she needed the procedure until she got back to Brunei and had an MRI on her right knee, where a meniscus tear was found. She underwent surgery on her right knee in September.[15]

In the 2023 SEA Games, which took place in the Chroy Changvar Convention Centre in Cambodia, Norleyermah Raya and Anisah Najihah secured the silver medal with a combined score of 9.925 on 7 May 2023. The Bruneian team was defeated by the Singapore, who finished with 9.955 points.[16] After competing, she had a second operation in Singapore and started her recovery in June 2023. A doctor in Brunei keeps an eye on her development because she is unable to go to Singapore for her monthly check-ups due to her operation. Her physiotherapists have been strict with her rehabilitation, pushing her to learn how to walk, bend her knees, and perform other basic activities.[15]

Honours and recognitions

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On 28 June 2022, she received the Skim Penggalak Kecemerlangan Sukan, 'Sports Excellence Incentive Scheme' (SPKS) for her accomplishments in pencak silat at the 2021 SEA Games.[17]

  •   Excellent Service Medal (PIKB; 12 June 2024)[18][19]

References

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  1. ^ a b Sani, Aimi (26 November 2015). "Pencak silat ASG - Republik Indonesia raih 6 pingat emas". Pelita Brunei (in Malay). Retrieved 29 July 2024.
  2. ^ BRUNEI DARUSSALAM CONTINGENT (PDF). Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports. 2018. p. 18.
  3. ^ Anisah Najihah [@_anisahnajihah] (4 February 2024). "What a magical night ✨Thank you everyone for making it happened 🫶🏻". Retrieved 29 July 2024 – via Instagram.
  4. ^ "Know Your Athlete: Anisah Najihah". BruSports News. 17 April 2020. Retrieved 29 July 2024.
  5. ^ "Best-ever ASG haul for hosts Brunei". Ministry of Education. 28 November 2015. Retrieved 29 July 2024.
  6. ^ Kon, James (9 December 2016). "Triple treat — Brunei take home more gold medals". Borneo Bulletin Online. Archived from the original on 9 December 2016. Retrieved 29 July 2024.
  7. ^ "Brunei pencak silat team one point shy of Asian Games bronze". Brunei Darussalam National Olympic Council. 30 August 2018. Retrieved 29 July 2024.
  8. ^ "19th SUKMA Events". Radio Television Brunei. 20 September 2018. Retrieved 29 July 2024.
  9. ^ Hassan, Khairil (8 December 2018). "Strong podium finishes for pencak silat athletes". Borneo Bulletin Online. Archived from the original on 8 December 2018. Retrieved 29 July 2024.
  10. ^ "Bimpnt-Eaga: Silat Event". Radio Television Brunei. 8 December 2018. Retrieved 1 August 2024.
  11. ^ Yunus, Fadhil (4 December 2019). "Pencak silat tambah gangsa". Media Permata (in Malay). Archived from the original on 23 September 2020. Retrieved 29 July 2024.
  12. ^ Chun Leong, Yee (3 December 2019). "Anisah delivers bronze in women's pencak silat". BruSports News. Retrieved 29 July 2024.
  13. ^ Chun Leong, Yee (6 May 2022). "SEA Games: Anisah motivated to be flag-bearer". BruSports News. Retrieved 29 July 2024.
  14. ^ Yunus, Fadhil (12 May 2022). "Brunei wins first medals at SEA Games". Borneo Bulletin Online. Retrieved 29 July 2024.
  15. ^ a b Chun Leong, Yee (1 August 2023). "Anisah targets competitive return next year". BruSports News. Retrieved 29 July 2024.
  16. ^ Ganesan, Deepanraj (7 May 2023). "SEA Games 2023: Singapore women's artistic silat team win historic gold". The Straits Times. ISSN 0585-3923. Retrieved 29 July 2024.
  17. ^ "'Demi negara saya buat yang terbaik'". Media Permata Online (in Malay). 29 June 2022. Retrieved 29 July 2024.
  18. ^ Mohammad, Lyna (12 June 2024). "664 receive state honorary medals". Borneo Bulletin Online. Retrieved 29 July 2024.
  19. ^ Anisah Najihah [@_anisahnajihah] (13 June 2024). "Alhamdulillah 🥹🎖️ To more milestones and success!". Retrieved 29 July 2024 – via Instagram.