Despite failing sight, Nur Amalina hopes to excel in goalball

KUALA LUMPUR: Even though her sight is failing each day, national women's goalball team captain, Nur Amalina Hares continues to place high hopes to shine in the sport.
Nur Amalina, 26, who could not make it to the school sports team due to her visual impairment was among six players selected in May to represent the country at the 9th Asean Para Games here.
After being diagnosed with a rare disease called retinitis pigmentosa 13 years ago, her determination to be involved in sports such as football and basketball did not waver.
“I was introduced to goalball in January this year after joining the Malaysian Association for the Blind and was chosen as a national player. I like goalball as it has elements of my favourite sports such as football and tennis.
“I hope the National Sports Council (MSN) will continue with the goalball programme after this. We are bent on giving our best here to compete at the Asian Para Games next year. Even though the team was just formed several months ago and this is the first competition, we did our best," she told Bernama.
She is now a key figure in the squad who won the goalball bronze medal after losing 0-8 to Laos in the semi-finals at the Malaysian International Trade and Exhibition Centre (MITEC) after only three months of preparations for the biennial championships.
Retinitis pigmentosa is a genetic disease due to the lack of protein in the eye retina to grow new cells causing the person to gradually lose sight and could eventually go blind.
"For the time being, my eyesight is only 30%, it has deteriorated in the past three years. Treatment is still being researched, among them are gene therapy and stem-cell therapy, but they are concentrated in western countries.
"Maybe I will try the treatment but need to look at the results and cost first. Nonetheless, we accept this as part of life which is not straight like a highway but a journey with nukes and turns,” said the psychology diploma holder from Langara College in Vancouver, Canada.
She also received the full support and motivation of her parents, Hares Lisot, 60, and Junaidah Bujang, 55, as well as her siblings who were happy to start a new life after returning to Malaysia from Canada.
In goalball competition, three blind or partially blind players will try to score by throwing the ball into the opponents’ goal and the ball will emit a sound when moving to enable the players to identify the position of the ball to defend the goal. — Bernama