KLANG: What began as her mother’s “push” to leave taekwondo and take up lawn bowls has paid off handsomely for Johor teenager Nur Airis Safiyah Abdullah, who clinched the women’s singles gold at the Malaysia Games (Sukma) yesterday.

The 16-year-old, making her debut, defeated Kedah’s Puteri Nur Annissa Sofea 21-10 in the final at the Bayuemas Lawn Bowls Complex to claim the first major gold of her career.