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Nurul Huda Abdullah
Personal information
Full name	Nurul Huda Abdullah
Nickname	Ch’ng Su-Lin
Nationality	Malaysia
Born	31 July 1972 (age 52); Selangor, Malaysia
Sport
Sport	Swimming
Strokes	Freestyle; Individual Medley
Medal record
Women's Swimming
Representing Malaysia
Asian Games
Asian Swimming Championships
South-East Asian Games

Nurul Huda Abdullah, also known as Ch'ng Su-Lin, AMN (born 31 July 1972) is a former Malaysian competitive swimmer.

She holds the record of the most number of gold medals won at the Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games) for a Malaysian athlete, with a total of 22 gold medals in the swimming events at three SEA Games editions from 1985 to 1989.^{[citation needed]}

She was the first Malaysian swimmer to win a medal at the Asian Games^[1] and remains the only Malaysian female swimmer to have won medals at the Asian Games and Asian Swimming Championships, with a total of 2 silver and 2 bronze medals at the 10th Asian Games 1986 Seoul, and a total of 2 silver and 1 bronze medal at the 3rd Asian Swimming Championship (1988) in Guangzhou.

She participated in the swimming events at the 1988 Summer Olympic Games in Seoul, Korea.

As a result of her swimming achievements, she was the first Malaysian to be awarded an IOC Trophy from the International Olympic Committee in 1987, and was inducted into the Olympic Council of Malaysia (OCM) Hall of Fame in 2004.^[2] She was awarded the Malaysian Sportswoman of the Year for five consecutive years from 1985 to 1989.

She was the Deputy Chef-de-Mission for the Malaysian Contingent to the 30th SEA Games (2019) in Philippines.^[3]

Swimming career

Southeast Asian Games

Nurul competed in 4 editions of the SEA Games from 1983 to 1989, and won a total of 22 gold, 4 silver and 1 bronze medals.

This achievement makes her Malaysia's most successful athlete at the SEA Games, holding the record of the most number of gold medals won at the SEA Games, a record which still stands today.

12th SEA Games Singapore (1983)

This was Nurul's first participation at the SEA Games, as a young 10-year old.

She competed in 2 events, where she ranked 4th in the 400m individual medley, and 8th in the 800m freestyle.

13th SEA Games Bangkok (1985)

Nurul's second SEA Games participation was in 1985.

She competed in 9 events, and won a total of 7 gold, 1 silver and 1 bronze medals, breaking 6 SEA Games records at the same time.

During this competition, she became the first female in Southeast Asia to break 1 minute for the 100m freestyle, and 9 minutes for the 800m freestyle.

14th SEA Games Jakarta (1987)

Despite experiencing a health setback 3 months prior to the Games when she had contracted glandular fever, Nurul managed to continue her participation in this edition of the Games.

She won a total of 7 gold and 1 silver medals from the 8 events that she competed in.

15th SEA Games Kuala Lumpur (1989)

1989 SEA Games Kuala Lumpur
	200m freestyle	2:05.75 (GR)
	400m freestyle	4:21.58 (GR)
	800m freestyle	9:06.67
	200m backstroke	2:23.65 (NR)
	200m butterfly	2:18.76
	200m ind. medley	2:22.74 (GR,NR)
	400m ind. medley	4:59.61 (GR)
	4x100m medley relay	4:28.94
	100m freestyle	1:00.04
	100m butterfly	1:04.81

Nurul's fourth and last participation in the regional multi-sport games was also her most successful.

She competed in 10 events in this edition, and won a total of 8 gold and 2 silver medals, breaking 4 SEA Games records and 2 national records in the process.

As a result of her performances at the Games, she was awarded the Most Valuable Athlete (Female) of the 15th SEA Games Kuala Lumpur 1989.^[4]

Commonwealth Games

Despite being selected to participate in two editions of the Commonwealth Games, Nurul was never able to participate in the Commonwealth Games, through circumstances out of her control.

13th Commonwealth Games Edinburgh (1986)

Nurul did not participate in this edition of the Commonwealth Games due to Malaysia's decision to boycott the 1986 Commonwealth Games.

14th Commonwealth Games Auckland (1990)

Nurul withdrew from participation for this edition of the Commonwealth due to minor injuries suffered when her family vehicle had been involved in a minor collision with a semi-trailer in the weeks leading up to the Games.^[5]

Asian Games

Nurul competed in 2 editions of the Asian Games, in 1986 and 1990, and won a total of 2 silver and 2 bronze medals in the swimming events.

This achievement makes her Malaysia's most successful athlete (female) in the swimming events at the Asian Games.

She was the first Malaysian athlete to have won medals in the swimming events at the Asian Games, and remains the only Malaysian female swimmer to have done so.

10th Asian Games Seoul (1986)

1986 Asian Games Seoul
	400m freestyle	4:20.49 (NR)
	800m freestyle	8:50.44 (NR)
	200m freestyle	2:06.24
	400m ind. medley	4:57.73 (NR)

In her maiden appearance at the Asian Games, she won 2 silver and 2 bronze medals out of the 4 swimming events she competed in.

She was the first Malaysian athlete to have won medals in the swimming events at the Asian Games.

During this competition, she also became the first female in Southeast Asia to break 5 minutes for the 400m individual medley.

11th Asian Games Beijing (1990)

This edition of the Asian Games was the final competition in Nurul's swimming career.

She competed in 3 swimming events but did not win any medals.

3rd Asian Swimming Championships Guangzhou (1988)

1988 Asian Swimming Championships Guangzhou
	400m freestyle	4:17.66 (NR)
	800m freestyle	8:47.98
	200m freestyle	2:05.59 (NR)

She competed in 3 events and won 2 silver and 1 bronze medals.

Olympic Games

XXIVth Summer Olympic Games Seoul (1988)

Nurul competed in 3 swimming events at the 1988 Seoul Olympic Games where she ranked 19th in the 800m freestyle, ranked 23rd in the 400m freestyle, and ranked 27th in the 200m freestyle.

Other sporting achievements and accolades

Malaysian athlete with the most number of gold medals won at the Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games)
First Malaysian to win medals in the swimming events at the Asian Games
The only Malaysian female swimmer to have won medals at the Asian Games and Asian Swimming Championships
Winner of the Malaysian Sportswoman of the Year in 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989
Winner of the IOC Trophy for Women in Sport (in 1987) and the first Malaysian to have won this trophy^[6]
First female swimmer in Southeast Asia to break the 5 minute mark for the 400m individual medley
First female swimmer in Southeast Asia to break the 60 seconds mark for the 100m freestyle
First female swimmer in Southeast Asia to break the 9 minute mark for the 800m freestyle
Held Malaysian Open records in swimming in 10 individual events out of 12 during her swimming career
Had faster times than the Malaysian Open records for men in 2 events during her swimming career

Personal life

Nurul is the granddaughter of the 4th President of Singapore, Dr. Wee Kim Wee.^[7]

Honour

Honour of Malaysia

Malaysia :
- Member of the Order of the Defender of the Realm (AMN) (1989)^[8]

Notes

^ "Nurul hits big time". Retrieved 3 April 2018.
^ "OCM Hall of Fame - Nurul Huda Abdullah". Olympic Council of Malaysia. Retrieved 12 August 2012.
^ "Nurul Huda appointed as deputy CDM for Sea Games".
^ "NewspaperSG". eresources.nlb.gov.sg. Retrieved 26 September 2023.
^ "NewspaperSG". eresources.nlb.gov.sg. Retrieved 26 September 2023.
^ INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC COUNCIL TROPHIES MS. NURUL HUDA ABDULLAH-1987 OCM
^ "Nurul Huda Abdullah Back in Malaysia After Nine Years". Utusan Malaysia. 24 September 1998. Retrieved 14 December 2016.
^ "SEMAKAN PENERIMA DARJAH KEBESARAN, BINTANG DAN PINGAT". Prime Minister's Department (Malaysia). Archived from the original on 29 September 2018. Retrieved 1 August 2021.

References

Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Nurul Huda Ch' Su-Lin". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on 18 April 2020. Retrieved 19 May 2010.