Basma Lachkar

Basma Lachkar
Basma in 2024
Personal information
Birth nameBasma binti Lachkar[1]
Born (2003-03-25) 25 March 2003 (age 21)
Education
Alma materUniversiti Teknologi Brunei
Occupation(s)Martial artist, athlete
Height1.6 m (5 ft 3 in)
Sport
SportWushu
Event(s)Taijiquan, Taijijian
TeamBrunei Wushu Team
Coached byLi Hui[2]
Medal record
Women's Wushu Taolu
Representing  Brunei
World Games
Gold medal – first place 2022 Birmingham Taijiquan+Taijijian
World Championships
Bronze medal – third place 2023 Fort Worth Taijiquan
Asian Games
Silver medal – second place 2022 Hangzhou Taijiquan+Taijijian
World University Games
Silver medal – second place 2021 Chengdu Taijijian
SEA Games
Silver medal – second place 2017 Kuala Lumpur Taijiquan
Silver medal – second place 2019 Philippines Taijiquan
Bronze medal – third place 2019 Philippines Taijijian
Bronze medal – third place 2023 Cambodia Taijiquan+Taijijian
ASEAN University Games
Gold medal – first place 2024 Malang Taijiquan
Asian Junior Championships
Gold medal – first place 2019 Bandar Seri Begawan Taijiquan (A)
Silver medal – second place 2019 Bandar Seri Begawan Daoshu (A)

Basma binti Lachkar (born 25 March 2003) is a Bruneian wushu taolu athlete of Moroccan descent specialising in taijiquan.[3]

Early life and education

[edit]

Basma was born to a Moroccan father and Bruneian mother. She attended Chung Hwa Middle School, Bandar Seri Begawan taking up wushu initially as a school co-curricular activity to join her brother, Walid Lachkar.[4] In October 2022, Hajah Rosnah binti Awang Tengah, her mother, passed away.[5] Notably, she graduated Jerudong International School (JIS) in class 2022,[6] and Sports School from 2016 to 2019.[7][8] She is enrolled in Universiti Teknologi Brunei as of 1 July 2024, where she is studying for a BSc (Hons) in Communication.[1]

Career

[edit]

Basma would eventually become part of Brunei's wushu national team which has been under Chinese coach Li Hui since 2006.[9] In the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre on 22 August 2017, she became victorious in the Women's Compulsory Taijiquan finals of the 29th Southeast Asian (SEA) Games with a score of 9.54 points.[10] She is 1.6 meters tall in 2023. She hasn't become much taller since 2018, the year she participated in her maiden Asian Games as a 15-year-old.[11] She did not clinch a podium finish in her usual tai chi event due to inexperience.[12]

Basma was part of the first group from Brunei to travel to the 19th Sukma Games 2018, which took place from 12 to 22 September in Perak.[13] On 30 November 2019, in the Philippines, she had the honor of carrying the Brunei flag at the 30th SEA Games opening ceremony.[14] In the women's taijiquan event, Basma, the youngest competitor in her division, won silver for the second time in a row at the SEA Games with a score of 9.55.[15][16]

Competing in the tai chi event, Basma would set several milestones for her country's national wushu program. At the 2022 World Games in Birmingham in the United States, she would win the first ever gold medal for Brunei in the tournament.[17][18] With a total score of 19.040 points, she placed first on the podium in the women's combined taijiquan and taijijian event.[19]

In the following 2022 edition in Huangzhou, Basma would see success when she bagged Brunei's first ever Asian Games silver medalist in any sports.[4][20] She is the Asian Games' flag bearer for Brunei as well. She achieved 9.756 points for a total of 19.502, which was sufficient for a silver medal. Additionally, it was her nation's first medal at the Asian Games since Tong Kit Siong in 2002.[11]

In the women's taijijian competition at the World University Games, Basma came in second. Silver was hers when she scored a total of 9.680 points at the Chengbei Gymnasium in Chengdu.[21] From this, she also became the first recipient of Brunei's special sports scholarship program.[8]

She beat Japan's Hibiki Isono, who scored 9.5003, to take first place with a score of 9.510 after her performance. Following her victory in the women's taijijian event on 20 June 2024, she finished first on the podium at the Asian University Wushu Championship.[22] She defeated six other competitors to win the gold medal in Harbin, China.[23] In the women's optional tianjiquan category, she won her second gold medal with a score of 9.490, defeating Chen Yuxing of China by a score of 0.004.[24]

On 27 June 2024, she extended her winning streak by capturing the gold medal in the women's tai chi competition at the 2024 ASEAN University Games, which were hosted in Malang, Indonesia. Basma's exceptional technical skill allowed her to get a top score of 9.486 in women's tai chi.[25]

Honours and recognitions

[edit]

A road at Kampong Pulaie Sports School would officially be renamed Basma Drive in November 2023.[8]

For the 2023 World Games Athlete of the Year, Basma has received a nomination. This comes after she won the women's taijiquan and taijijian combined event in the World Games 2022.[26]

Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah presented Basma with the Excellent Youth Award on the 19th National Youth Day.[27]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b "UTB CELEBRATES THE RETURN OF GOLD MEDALIST AND PARTICIPANTS FROM THE 21ST ASEAN UNIVERSITY GAMES". Universiti Teknologi Brunei. 2024-06-01. Retrieved 2024-08-18.
  2. ^ BRUNEI DARUSSALAM CONTINGENT (PDF). Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports. 2018. p. 19.
  3. ^ "Wushu LACHKAR Basma - The 19th Asian Games". Asian Games 2022. Hangzhou Asian Games Organizing Committee. Retrieved 1 October 2023.
  4. ^ a b Lee, David (24 September 2023). "Brunei's Basma Lachkar creates history with wushu silver at Asian Games". The Straits Times. Retrieved 1 October 2023.
  5. ^ "Basma dedicates Asian Games silver medal to late mother". BruSports News. 2023-09-25. Retrieved 2023-10-26.
  6. ^ "We are thrilled to share that #JISAlumni Basma Lachkar (Class of 2022) won a Silver Medal in the Women's Taijiquan and Taijijian All-Round event at the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China". jisbrunei. 2023-09-25. Retrieved 2023-10-26.
  7. ^ "Welcome home - Basma Lachkar, Year9A Sports School student doing Brunei proud with Silver Medal in 2017 SEA Games' Taijiquan event". MoEducation Brunei. 2017-08-26. Retrieved 2023-10-26.
  8. ^ a b c "Driveway tribute to Brunei's wushu star » Borneo Bulletin Online". Driveway tribute to Brunei’s wushu star. 2023-11-09. Retrieved 2024-01-02.
  9. ^ "Brunei pays tribute to Chinese coach after historic Asian Games silver medal in Wushu". The Star. Xinhua. 29 September 2023. Retrieved 1 October 2023.
  10. ^ "Brunei Darussalam National Olympic Council". www.bruneiolympic.org. Retrieved 2024-01-02.
  11. ^ a b Correspondent, David LeeSports (2023-09-24). "Brunei's Basma Lachkar creates history with wushu silver at Asian Games". The Straits Times. ISSN 0585-3923. Retrieved 2024-01-02. {{cite news}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  12. ^ "Basma becomes big hit for tiny Brunei after historic silver in wushu". The Star. 26 September 2023. Retrieved 1 October 2023.
  13. ^ "Wushu athletes first to depart for 19th Sukma Games". borneo363.rssing.com. Retrieved 2024-01-02.
  14. ^ "SEA Games: Basma honoured to be Brunei's flag-bearer". BruSports News. 2019-11-24. Retrieved 2024-01-02.
  15. ^ "Brunei Darussalam National Olympic Council". www.bruneiolympic.org. Retrieved 2024-01-02.
  16. ^ "Brunei Darussalam National Olympic Council". www.bruneiolympic.org. Retrieved 2024-01-02.
  17. ^ "Basma cops Brunei's first gold in World Games". Borneo Bulletin. 13 July 2022. Retrieved 1 October 2023.(subscription required)
  18. ^ "Basma Lachkar". Not a Woman’s Job?:Breaking Barriers in Sports. United Nations. Retrieved 1 October 2023.
  19. ^ "Basma Lachkar". sites.ungeneva.org. Retrieved 2024-01-02.
  20. ^ "Wushu star Basma seals silver in Asian Games". Borneo Bulletin. 24 September 2023. Retrieved 1 October 2023.
  21. ^ "Basma wins silver at World University Games". BruSports News. 2023-07-30. Retrieved 2024-01-02.
  22. ^ "Basma scores gold in China wushu competition". borneobulletin.com.bn. 2024-06-20. Retrieved 2024-06-22.
  23. ^ "Gold for Basma at Asian University Wushu Championship". BruSports News. 2024-06-20. Retrieved 2024-07-29.
  24. ^ Kon, James (2024-06-22). "Basma wins second gold in China wushu tournament". Borneo Bulletin Online. Retrieved 2024-07-29.
  25. ^ Kon, James (2024-06-28). "Basma on winning streak at ASEAN wushu competition". Borneo Bulletin Online. Archived from the original on 2024-07-29. Retrieved 2024-07-29.
  26. ^ Yee Chun Leong (2024-01-10). "Basma shortlisted for The World Games Athlete of the Year". BruSports News. Retrieved 2024-06-22.
  27. ^ "19th National Youth Day Celebration". Prime Minister's Office. 2024-08-07. Retrieved 2024-08-08.
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