Basma Lachkar

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Basma Lachkar
Lachkar in 2024
Personal information
Birth nameBasma Lachkar
Born (2003-03-25) 25 March 2003 (age 21)
EducationJerudong International School
Occupation(s)Martial artist, athlete
Height1.6 m (5 ft 3 in)
Sport
SportWushu
Event(s)Taijijian and Taijiquan
TeamBrunei Wushu Team
Coached byLi Hui
Medal record
Women's Wushu Taolu
Representing  Brunei
World Games
Gold medal – first place 2022 Birmingham tai chi
World Championships
Bronze medal – third place 2023 Fort Worth taijiquan
Asian Games
Silver medal – second place 2022 Hangzhou tai chi
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 taijijian/taijiquan
Asian Junior Championships
Gold medal – first place 2019 Bandar Seri Begawan tai chi
Silver medal – second place 2019 Bandar Seri Begawan daoshu

Basma Lachkar (born 25 March 2003) is a Bruneian wushu athlete of Moroccan descent specializing in tai chi.[1]

Early life and education[edit]

Lachkar was born to a Moroccan father and Bruneian mother. She attended Chung Hwa Middle School taking up wushu initially as a school co-curricular activity to join her brother, Walid Lachkar.[2] In October 2022, Hajah Rosnah binti Awang Tengah, her mother, passed away.[3] Notably, she graduated Jerudong International School (JIS) in class 2022,[4] and Sports School from 2016 to 2019.[5][6]

Career[edit]

Lachkar would eventually become part of Brunei's wushu national team which has been under Chinese coach Li Hui since 2006.[7] 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.[8] 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.[9] She did not clinch a podium finish in her usual tai chi event due to inexperience.[10]

Lachkar 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.[11] On 30 November 2019, in the Philippines, she had the honor of carrying the Brunei flag at the 30th SEA Games opening ceremony.[12] In the women's taijiquan event, Lachkar, 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.[13][14]

Competing in the tai chi event, Lachkar 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.[15][16] With a total score of 19.040 points, she placed first on the podium in the women's combined taijiquan and taijijian event.[17]

In the following 2022 edition in Huangzhou, Lachkar would see success when she bagged Brunei's first ever Asian Games silver medalist in any sports.[2][18] 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.[9]

In the women's taijijian competition at the World University Games, Lachkar came in second. Silver was hers when she scored a total of 9.680 points at the Chengbei Gymnasium in Chengdu.[19] From this, she also became the first recipient of Brunei's special sports scholarship program.[6]

Legacy[edit]

A road at Kampong Pulaie Sports School would officially be renamed Basma Drive in November 2023.[6]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Wushu LACHKAR Basma - The 19th Asian Games". Asian Games 2022. Hangzhou Asian Games Organizing Committee. Retrieved 1 October 2023.
  2. ^ 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.
  3. ^ "Basma dedicates Asian Games silver medal to late mother". BruSports News. 2023-09-25. Retrieved 2023-10-26.
  4. ^ "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.
  5. ^ "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.
  6. ^ 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.
  7. ^ "Brunei pays tribute to Chinese coach after historic Asian Games silver medal in Wushu". The Star. Xinhua. 29 September 2023. Retrieved 1 October 2023.
  8. ^ "Brunei Darussalam National Olympic Council". www.bruneiolympic.org. Retrieved 2024-01-02.
  9. ^ 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.
  10. ^ "Basma becomes big hit for tiny Brunei after historic silver in wushu". The Star. 26 September 2023. Retrieved 1 October 2023.
  11. ^ "Wushu athletes first to depart for 19th Sukma Games". borneo363.rssing.com. Retrieved 2024-01-02.
  12. ^ "SEA Games: Basma honoured to be Brunei's flag-bearer". BruSports News. 2019-11-24. Retrieved 2024-01-02.
  13. ^ "Brunei Darussalam National Olympic Council". www.bruneiolympic.org. Retrieved 2024-01-02.
  14. ^ "Brunei Darussalam National Olympic Council". www.bruneiolympic.org. Retrieved 2024-01-02.
  15. ^ "Basma cops Brunei's first gold in World Games". Borneo Bulletin. 13 July 2022. Retrieved 1 October 2023.(subscription required)
  16. ^ "Basma Lachkar". Not a Woman’s Job?:Breaking Barriers in Sports. United Nations. Retrieved 1 October 2023.
  17. ^ "Basma Lachkar". sites.ungeneva.org. Retrieved 2024-01-02.
  18. ^ "Wushu star Basma seals silver in Asian Games". Borneo Bulletin. 24 September 2023. Retrieved 1 October 2023.
  19. ^ "Basma wins silver at World University Games". BruSports News. 2023-07-30. Retrieved 2024-01-02.
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