Yee Chun Leong
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN
NATIONAL pencak silat athlete Anisah Najihah Abdullah is proud to be named Brunei's flag-bearer at the 31st Southeast Asian (SEA Games) in Vietnam.
Anisah, who won bronze in the women's tunggal event at the last edition, never expected to be chosen to lead the country out at the opening ceremony scheduled next Thursday.
"Never have I thought about it. I always watch (the opening ceremony) with my friends either on TV or at the parade together," said Anisah in an interview with BruSports News on Friday.
"To be selected as the flag-bearer motivates me further to deliver my best for the competition.
"It is such a great honour for me and it will surely be a memorable experience," she added.
"It would be even sweeter if I win a medal because the opening will only be after my competition.
"I feel proud, excited and very grateful for this opportunity as and this is a new milestone in my career," she continued.
Anisah will team up with Norleyermah Hj Raya and Nur Wasiqah Aziemah Rosihan in the women's regu event on Tuesday.
She will then contest in the women's tunggal event the next day.
The Sultanate will be represented by 23 athletes competing in four sports - eSports, wushu, pencak silat and karatedo.
Brunei finished the 2019 edition with a tally of two gold, five silver and six bronze medals - their best showing on foreign soil.
It was also the second time they bagged more than one gold medal at the biennial Games - with 1999 being the other when they hosted.
