ING YUEH SETS THE BAR HIGHER AFTER SEA GAMES SUCCESS

KUALA LUMPUR: Tan Ing Yueh has set the bar higher for herself after emerging as the most successful national women’s artistic gymnast at the Kuala Lumpur SEA Games recently.

Buoyed by her recent SEA Games success – two gold and one silver – the 21-year-old hopes to be the first Malaysian to win a medal in women’s artistic at the Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, Australia, next year.

Gymnastics – both rhythmic and artistic – has contributed a total of two golds, nine silvers and 10 bronzes since the sport was introduced at the 1978 Edmonton Commonwealth Games. However, none of the medals came from the women’s artistic squad.

Ing Yueh said she would try to end the long wait for a medal from the women artistic squad at the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games in April now that she has accomplished her task at the KL Games.

At the KL Games, she helped retain the team gold before winning her second gold in vault. She also bagged silver in the balance beam – losing by a very slim margin.

“I’m still on SEA Games mode,” quipped Ing Yueh, a first-year mass communication student at Sunway University.

“At Singapore 2015, I also won two golds and one silver. The difference this time is that the quality of my performances was better. So, that’s satisfying.”

With no more international assignments for this year, Ing Yueh believes it will give her time to upgrade her routines and skills ahead of the Commonwealth Games.

“I need to raise my game if I want to win a medal in my first Commonwealth Games,” said Ing Yueh, who is inspired by the Dutch national team.

“I saw the Dutch gymnasts in action during the World Cup in Australia in February. They were elegant, composed and solid in their executions.

“I hope to be as polished as them in my performances.

“Their top gymnast, Sanne Wevers, won the balance beam gold at the Rio Olympics (2016). I keep watching her in action on YouTube. She’s fascinating.

“Hopefully, I’ll be able to perform like her on the balance beam.”

The others national women artistic gymnasts are Nur Eli Ellina Azmi, Lavinia Jayadev, Tracie Ang, Farah Ann Abdul Hadi and Nur Azira Aziri.