It’s all about merit

Two elite gymnasts left out of squad after poor showing

PETALING JAYA: Two Podium Programme rhythmic gymnasts – Wong Poh San and N. Shasangari Sivaneswary – have found out that past glories count for nothing.

Twenty-one-year-old Poh San, a silver medallist at the 2014 Commonwealth Games, and 18-yearold Shasangari, the 2015 Singapore SEA Games gold medallist, failed to make the cut for the KL Games at a selection trial in Bukit Jalil on Wednesday.

The four who made the cut are 18-year-old Koi Sie Yan and debutants Amy Kwan Dict Weng, 22, and Izzah Amzan and Chong Lok Yi, both 17.

At the trial, Izzah came out tops with 55.92 points, followed by Lok Yi (52.47), Amy (49.91), Sie Yan (48.28), Shasangari (44.35) and Poh San (33.30).

Sie Yan and Shasangari were joint gold medallists in the individual all-around in Singapore two years ago.

Malaysian Gymnastics Federation (MGF) vice-president and rhythmic gymnastics technical chairman Petrina Low said they decided that only the top four based on current form would be selected for the KL Games, to be held from Aug 19-30.

“It’s a pity that Shasangari was affected by an ankle injury sustained in February. She was unable to execute some of the jumps,” said Petrina.

“Poh San was not at her best either.

“Amy is the most senior but she strained her ankle during the trial. Still, she put up a commendable show to finish in the top four.

“The SEA Games are around the corner and we must make sure our gymnasts stay injury-free.”

The MGF also named the six gymnasts for the group exercise. They are Amira Sofiya Amirul Fares, Chan Mei Thung, Thew Yue Jia, Koh Jei Yi, Tee Wei Wen and Tee Wei Qi.

Petrina said that Malaysia are aiming to win six of the eight gold medals on offer.

The eight rhythmic events are team, individual all-around, hoop, ball, clubs, ribbon, group exercise (five hoops) and group exercise (three balls and two ropes). The six participating countries are Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam and Indonesia.

Malaysia’s best outing was at the 2001 KL Games when they made a clean sweep of all six gold medals, with Goh Yi Wei bagging four.