IZZAH AMZAN 21

Malaysian Gymnast

Izzah Amzan fell in love with rhythmic gymnastics at five years of age, working her way up into the national team when she was 12 years old. Soon to be 22 in October, she has represented Malaysia for nearly a decade, dedicating more than half of her life to the sport. She represented Malaysia at the 2017 Southeast Asian Games at age 17, becoming one of the nation’s youngest athletes to compete at the SEA Games. Two years later, she won two gold medals and one silver medal at the 2019 Southeast Asian Games.

At the 2022 Commonwealth Games,

Izzah won a bronze medal in the individual clubs event while finishing fourth in the team all-around and individual all-around competitions. “It was an overwhelming experience in a good way and much better than my first experience at the Commonwealth Games. I feel I have given my best effort and could enjoy the moment,” Izzah shares.

Although it has never been an easy road, Izzah maintains an upbeat attitude about pushing herself to succeed. “My mindset is that you must stick to your principles and finish what you start.” The young athlete also credits her mother as a source of strength. “My mother is my inspiration. She is the one who encourages me and pushes me to do better every day, and so I look up to her because she’s a strong woman.”

With her eyes set on the 2024 Paris Olympics, Izzah will participate in the Rhythmic Gymnastics World Championships in Sofia, Bulgaria, this September. With just six Olympic spots open to athletes, competition is stiff, and pressure is immense.

“People want to see us bring home the glory, but I’ve always wanted to let people know that we as athletes fight to give our best. For ourselves, our coaches and the entire community. We never want to let anyone down,” Izzah explains. “Please keep supporting our athletes no matter what they’re going through because you never know how hard they have struggled.”