KUALA LUMPUR − Despite facing its own challenges, the national artistic and rhythmic gymnastics squad is determined not to return empty-handed from the Hanoi SEA Games, which is scheduled to take place in Vietnam from May 12-23.
At the biennial sporting event, the two squads each aim to win two gold medals after taking into account the stiff competition and the reduced number of events.
National women’s artistic gymnastics head coach Ng Shu Wai expects the Hanoi SEA Games to be the toughest edition yet for his charges when they face opposition from the Philippine team, which is strengthened by four former US gymnasts.
The absence of former gymnastics queen Farah Ann Abdul Hadi in the national squad to some extent has affected the country’s chances of defending the gold medals won in the previous edition.
“Farah’s absence has a big impact as well, but even if Farah is with us, it will still be difficult to win because the Philippine team is strong. I have never seen such a complete team during the five years I’ve been coaching the national team. This is going to be the toughest SEA Games for us.
“When the list of names comes out, we recognise them as former US athletes. So, it makes the competition more difficult but we are confident we can achieve the target,” he said at the press conference by the Malaysian contingent to the Hanoi SEA Games at the National Sports Council in Bukit Jalil today.
Shu Wai said four male and six female gymnasts would carry the Malaysian challenge in Hanoi with the gold expected from Rachel Yeoh in the women’s category through the individual uneven bars event.
Rachel, who will be making her second SEA Games appearance in Hanoi, won the bronze medal in the individual uneven bars event at the 2019 SEA Games in the Philippines while the gold medal was won by Farah.
Rachel will also take part in the all-around event in Hanoi.
Meanwhile, national rhythmic gymnastics squad manager Toh Ai Lee said the reduction in the number of events saw only the individual all-around and team all-around events being contested in Hanoi.
He said the national team had no choice but to fight hard to achieve the mission set in order to continue Malaysia’s dominance in the event.
As a final preparation, Ai Lee said all the national athletes competing in individual events, namely Koi Sie Yan, Izzah Amzan, Ng Joe Ee and Lai Yun Jo, will undergo intensive training in Baku, Azerbaijan beginning April 14 before participating in a tournament in Romania at the end of this month.
“For the athletes of the same team event, they will leave earlier for Baku on April 9 and will also participate in the tournament in Romania before returning to Baku together. All of them (individuals and teams) will leave for Hanoi from Baku,” she said.
Commenting on competition from other countries, Ai Lee said the lack of tournaments in the last two years made it difficult for the coaching staff to evaluate performance but stressed that the national team always strived to maintain performances at the highest level.
In the 2019 edition in the Philippines, the artistic gymnastics squad won five gold medals while the rhythmic gymnastics squad secured four golds. – Bernama, April 6, 2022
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