Early boost for gymnasts
THE national rhythmic gymnastics squad received an early boost ahead of the Kuala Lumpur Sea Games, when they ended their campaign at the World Challenge Cup in Portugal yesterday with five bronze medals.
Senior gymnast Amy Kwan Dict Weng won two bronze through the individual all-around and ball event while Izzah Amzan came in third in the ribbon.
In the junior category, Rayna Hoh Khai Ling bagged her medal in the ball event and then again in the team event together with Tammy Ng Jia Wen.
Malaysian Gymnastics Federation (MGF) vice president Petrina Low said the achievement in Europe would lift the spirits of the gymnasts ahead of the Sea Games.
“It was a fantastic outing for all of them. I am very proud of our juniors too.
“I want all the girls to stay focused and not get carried away as our main goal is the Sea Games this year,” said Petrina.
The final list for the KL Games squad has yet to be finalised, but MGF are hoping for the girls to record a clean sweep of eight gold medals in rhythmic gymnastics.
At the 2015 Singapore Games, Malaysia won two gold through Koi Sie Yan and N. Shasangari Sivaneswary when they emerged joint winners in the individual allaround event and one silver in the team event.
Earlier this year, Sie Yan won one gold (ball), one silver (hoop) and two bronze medals (clubs and ribbon) at the Gracia Fair Cup in Budapest, Hungary.