Student gamer Aria blazes trail for Malaysian women in eSports
By night, she's Malaysia's gaming trailblazer.
Sharifah Alia Husna Syed Fakrrurozi, better known in the Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (MLBB) arena as Aria, has made history as the first Malaysian woman to reach the grand final of an international MLBB tournament.
The 22-year-old, who joined North American side Gaimin Gladiators (GG), may have lost 4-0 to Indonesia's Team Vitality in the MLBB Women's Invitational (MWI) final in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, but the runner-up finish earned her team a cool US$90,000 (RM382,000) and a place in the record books.
Aria, who hails from Selangor and is currently pursuing a degree at the University of Canterbury, said she hopes her breakthrough moment will encourage more Malaysian female gamers to aim beyond local borders.
"I hope if players in Malaysia don't get a chance at home, they will try to go for the international stage," said the 2023 SEA Games bronze medallist.
"For example, if you can't break into a top team like NAVI MY, consider joining a team abroad.
"Despite falling at the final hurdle, Aria's dream run has already turned heads across the eSports community, particularly among aspiring female players.
"Of course I'm incredibly happy. To be the first Malaysian woman to do this... I'm very proud of myself," she said.
Balancing high-level gaming and university life is no easy feat, and Aria had a message for other women trying to juggle both worlds: "To the women who are studying but still competing in MLBB, congratulations on your ability to adapt. It's not easy, but I hope you can build on that momentum and go even further."
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