KUALA LUMPUR – Malaysia is expected to generate RM20 million from the economic spillover of playing host to the 2022 Aesthetic Group Gymnastics World Cup Finals that will take place from tomorrow till Sunday.
Organised by the Malaysian Aesthetic Group Gymnastics Association (Magga), the event at Malawati Stadium in Shah Alam is being held in the country for the first time ever.
Caretaker youth and sports minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Faizal Azumu said the international event was the best platform to highlight the country’s young gymnasts on the international stage.
“I call on Malaysians to come and support the event as Magga has come a long way to promote the sport in the country since its establishment in 2015.
“This type of world-class event is important in helping Malaysia become a sporting nation while contributing to the economic spillover from the tourism industry as well as the sports industry.
“I am also grateful for MyCEB (Malaysia Convention and Exhibition Bureau) from the Tourism Ministry, as it is the main sponsor for the tournament,” he said at a press conference after the championships’ opening ceremony today.
Malaysia was scheduled to host the event back in 2020 but it was postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Meanwhile, Magga deputy president Datuk V. Radhakrishnan said it has been a dream come true to host the championships in Malaysia, as the country is well equipped with the logistics, accommodation, as well as other facilities required to stage such a sporting meet.
“It is a great honour to host the event as we have one of the biggest numbers of participants (ever seen). When Europe hosted the event, they only had about 300 to 400 participants.
“Our team has been training hard and even though we are not a world-ranking country for aesthetic gymnastics, I am confident we could get fifth place at the very least,” he said.
A total of 700 contestants from 20 countries, including 200 individuals from Malaysia, are participating in the meet.
Other than Malaysia, nine other Asian countries including Japan, Kazakhstan, Indonesia, the Philippines, Hong Kong, Singapore, South Korea, India, and Taiwan will also be taking part in the competition.
Other participating countries include Canada, the United States, and Australia, while European countries listed in the competition include France, Ukraine, Greece, and the Czech Republic. – The Vibes, October 26, 2022
