National Artistic Gymnastics Teams To Be Disbanded And New Coaches Brought In

KUALA LUMPUR: The national artistic gymnastics teams are set to be disbanded and new coaches roped in to develop fresh talent.

These are some of the drastic measures set to be implemented when the powers-that-be meet on Dec 18 to check the rot – following the men’s and women’s artistic teams dismal showing at the recent SEA Games in Indonesia.

China’s former chief coach Gao Jian and instructors from Romania may be hired to nurture and produce a new crop of calibre gymnasts.

In Palembang, the lack of depth in the men’s and women’s teams stood out like a sore thumb as all of them failed to make an impact.

Malaysia had never before failed to win a gold medal in the event at the regional Games but, this time, the artistic gymnasts returned home with their pride bruised and image battered.

The men’s team were probably the biggest letdown. Despite undergoing several training stints in China over the past year, none justified the big bucks spent on them by the National Sports Council (NSC).

A slew of injuries to potential gymnasts also slowed their progress. But it is debatable whether the injuries were caused by the coaches pushing the gymnasts too hard or related to weight issues.

A year ago, the Malaysian Gymnastics Federation (MGF) had been on the verge of engaging Gao Jian, the man behind China’s golden gymnastics triumph at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, to oversee the national squad’s training. Unfortunately, the plan fell through due to financial constraints.

MGF secretary N. Shanmugarajah said yesterday that it was time to look at alternative ways to revive the artistic teams’ fortunes.

“Our exco meeting next week will look into ways to improve standards. We can’t go on doing the same thing as it obviously isn’t working. We have to come up with other ideas and submit our plans to the NSC,” he said.

“Gao Jian has a wealth of experience and is no longer with the China national team. We could certainly use his services. If we manage to hire him as our chief coach, he will be given a free hand to chart the course of the artistic teams.

“Romania has also informed us that it is prepared to provide coaches.”

Shanmugarajah said it was also time to review the status of the national gymnasts.

“Those without a future will have to go. There are plans to open up new training centres in different states. We will absorb new talents into the national squad,” he said.

“Our programmes will have to be geared towards preparing a solid team for the 2016 Olympic Games.”

The men’s team to the SEA Games comprised Mohd Irwan Miskob, Mohd Akmal Hakim, Mohd Azlan­shah Ismail, Lum Wan Foong, Hairi Zaid and Mohd Hamzahruddin Nordin.

The women were Farah Ann Hadi, Noor Hasleen Fatihin Hasnan, Nur Ily Ilyana Azmi and Tracie Ang. Of the four, Farah did well to win a silver medal despite being injured. But, overall, it was a disastrous outing.

Malaysian gymnastics has clearly lost its artistry.

Not That Bad A Show Considering All The Injuries

PALEMBANG: No gold medals for the first time since the 1985 SEA Games in Bangkok is generally seen as a failure for Malaysian gymnastics.

On Monday, Malaysia’s best hope for a gold, artistic gymnast Farah Ann Hadi, suffered a recurrence of an old thigh injury during the individual all-around and could only finish fifth while team-mate Nur Eli Ellina placed sixth.

Vietnam’s Thi Ha Thanh won the gold while compatriot Thi Ngan Thuong Do took the silver.

A day later, the 17-year-old Farah failed to finish among the medals in her pet event, finishing fourth in the floor exercise.

She did, however, grab a silver on the uneven bars, the same apparatus which caused her injury, while Nur Eli denied another Vietnamese 1-2 when she took silver in the balance beam.

The Malaysian men fared even worse, placing fifth out of six teams.

However, the national squad have been plagued by injury and were severely weakened even before the Games started.

Top rhythmic gymnast Lee Wan Nin was ruled out just days before the Games while the women’s artistic team were already without the likes of Chan Sau Wah, gold medallist in Korat 2007, and Cheong See Teng, who retired prematurely due to persistent injuries.

Top gymnast Tracie Ang arrived at the Games half-fit heaping all the pressure on Farah, Nur Eli and Noor Hasleen Fatih.

With only three fit gymnasts, Malay­sia could not compete in the team event. Perhaps if they had five gymnasts in the team, instead of just four, it could have allowed for a bit of rotation and rest for Farah, Nur Eli and Hasleen and a better shot at gold.

The men too showed fighting spirit despite suffering injuries throughout the Games. Mohd Hamzaruddin Nordin, 18, had a bad fall during the floor exercise but bravely returned to compete in the pommel horse before the injury took its toll on him.

So two silvers are not too bad considering the injury jinx that dogged the squad.

SEA GAMES: Girls Keep Medals Ticking

FARAH Ann Hadi and Nur Eli Ellina Azmi saved Malaysia the blushes in artistic gymnastics when they secured a silver medal each in the women's individual apparatus finals at Jakabaring Sports Complex yesterday.

An injury sustained on Monday hampered Farah's performance but she was able to score 12.375 points in the uneven bars to finish second to Vietnam's Do Thi Ngan Thuong who scored 12.900m.

Indonesia's Nefy Nurbaety was third (12.175).

Eli, 16, also surprised with a silver in the balance beam scoring 12.075 where again Ngan Thuong denied Malaysia the gold with a score of 12.300.

The bronze went to Vietnam's Thi Ha Thanh (12.050).

Farah also competed in the floor exercise but finished fourth.

"I came here with high hopes so I am disappointed to have not won a gold. I have some consolation as I have at least silver," said Farah.

"I would have done better if not for the injury. Floor exercise is my favourite event but I couldn't do well but I aim to do better in the next Games."

Eli was also happy to win a medal in her Sea Games debut.

"My target was actually to win gold and I came close in the balance beam which is my favourite event," said Eli.

"It was a very good experience competing here."

Read more: SEA GAMES: Girls keep medals ticking - Other - New Straits Times http://www.nst.com.my/sports/other/sea-games-girls-keep-medals-ticking-1.6586#ixzz1dqDWFxjf

Bad Landing In Uneven Bars Costs Our Best Bet Farah Dearly

PALEMBANG: A bad landing in the uneven bars not only aggravated her thigh injury but also resulted in Malaysia’s best bet - Farah Ann Hadi - finishing a disappointing fifth in the individual all-around final yesterday.

The 17-year-old Farah went into the competition in buoyant mood after finishing third overall in the qualifying event on Sunday with the boisterous Indonesian crowd behind her.

She started well in the vault apparatus, scoring a 12.350. But the injury from the uneven bars saw her score on the beam apparatus hit a low 11.034.

Crowd favourite: Malaysia’s Farah Ann Hadi competing in the uneven bars in the all-around final Monday.

She only managed 12.200 in the floor exercise, a far cry from the 12.567 she garnered during the qualifiers. Still, the sweet-smiling Farah managed to put on a brave front, saying she was confident of doing well in the individual events which begin today.

“It’s really disappointing because I started well and had high hopes for the beam and floor exercise,” said Farah.

“It’s an old injury and it’s really painful now ... I can’t really walk much.

“I guess it’s bad luck and my fault that I didn’t even pick up a medal, but I will try to win the gold from the individual floor exercise.”

Farah qualified for three individual finals – balancing beam, uneven bars and floor exercise – but she may only contest the floor exercise while Tracie Ang and Noor Hasleen Fatih compete in the other two.

Thi Ha Than and Thi Ngan Thuo gave a flawless performance as they danced their way to a glorious 1-2 finish for Vietnam.

Commonwealth Games silver medallist Lim Heem Wei settled for bronze.

In the men’s event, both Malaysians – Danniel Iskandar Richard and Hairi Said Ahmad Saruji – only managed eighth and ninth respectively.

Thailand’s Rartchawat Kaewpan claimed the gold while Vietnam’s Pham Phuoc Hung and Hoang Cung took silver and bronze respectively.

SEA GAMES: Injury Denies Farah Medal

A recurrence of an old injury cost Farah Ann Hadi a medal in the women's individual all-around final in artistic gymnastics yesterday.

Farah suffered the injury to her thigh while executing her second routine, the uneven bars, but completed the balance beam and floor exercise to score 47.534 to finish fifth.

The score was a far cry from the 50.084 she scored in the team competition on Sunday but Farah took disappointment in her stride and vowed to at least win a medal in her favourite event, the floor exercise, in the individual apparatus finals today.

Nur Eli Ellina Azmi finished sixth on 46.084.

"I had suffered the injury in Kuala Lumpur but it was healing and I was confident after my good performance in the team event. It was really disappointing that I was unable to win a medal," said Farah.

"I felt good in my first routine in the vault but suffered the injury in the uneven bars and fell during the balance beam routine. That was my mistake and it cost me points. I was in pain but managed to complete the floor exercise," she added.

"I have qualified for the beam, uneven bars and floor tomorrow (today) and I will compete in all three despite the pain. I want to win a medal and come back stronger for the next Games."

Read more: SEA GAMES: Injury denies Farah medal - Other - New Straits Times http://www.nst.com.my/sports/other/sea-games-injury-denies-farah-medal-1.6107#ixzz1djvxKwcL

Sea Games: Wan Nin Blow For Malaysia

MALAYSIA'S hopes of landing the rhythmic gymnastics individual all-round gold medal evaporated when Lee Wan Nin was ruled out of the Sea Games after hurting her knee in a freak training incident.

   Wan Nin's absence means Malaysia will not have a representative in rhythmic gymnastics in Palembang with no chance of naming a replacement this close to the start of the Games tomorrow.

 National Sports Council director-general Datuk Zolkples Embong confirmed Wan Nin's injury when met after a dinner reception for the football team on Tuesday.

  "We received a report saying Wan Nin suffered an injury during training in Kuala Lumpur. Apparently, she has dislocated a knee joint," Zolkples told reporters.

   "This is a big loss to the national contingent as we were counting on Wan Nin to deliver a gold medal. It's very unfortunate and that's why I have stressed to athletes to take care of their health before a major event.

   "I hope Wan Nin recovers in time for the Olympic qualification next year."

   Zolkples, however, stressed that the loss of Wan Nin would not affect the official target of 40-45 gold medals.

  "No, it does not change anything. We should still reach the target," he added.

Read more: Sea Games: Wan Nin blow for Malaysia - Other - New Straits Times http://www.nst.com.my/sports/other/sea-games-wan-nin-blow-for-malaysia-1.3172#ixzz1dviUOqy4

More Woes For Wan Nin As She Is Kneed Out Of Games

PETALING JAYA: Misfortune continues to dog top rhythmic gymnast Lee Wan Nin as she has been ruled out of the SEA Games.

Yesterday, the 16-year dislocated her knee cap during a training session and will be out of action for at least 10 days.

It is certainly a big blow for gymnastics as Wan Nin, who is making a comeback after a back injury picked up at the World Championships in Paris in September, had a chance to challenge for a gold medal in her first SEA Games.

With her withdrawal, Malaysia will not have any representative in the rhythmic gymnastics.

Wan Nin: Dislocated her knee cap during training.

Team manager Petrina Low said that Wan Nin would now concentrate on her preparation for the Test Series in London in January. The top five in London will get a ticket to represent the country at the Olympic Games next year.

”It is unfortunate that this has happened to Wan Nin. She certainly cannot compete in the Games in this condition. But it is all right as the Test Series is more important,” said Petrina.

”She has time to recover and get back into top shape to mount a creditable showing in the Test Series.

“We hope she will not be bugged by injuries again.”

Farah Hopes To Floor Her Rivals For Gold Medal

KUALA LUMPUR: If not for artistic gymnastics, winsome Farah Ann Hadi would have been a dancer.

“I love dancing. It enables me to express myself. Maybe that is why the floor exercise is my favourite as it allows me to be creative. I would be over the moon if I could win the gold in my pet event,” she said.

The 17-year-old is keeping her fingers crossed that her catchy movement with a touch of artistry will impress the selectors in the floor exercise routine in her first Games outing. The artistic competiton will be from Nov 12-16 at Palembang.

Striking pose: Farah Ann Abdul Hadi carrying out her floor exercise routine.

Farah is so eager to showcase her talent that she is prepared to juggle the demands of competition with that of her SPM exams.

“I have waited for this moment for a long time. I couldn’t compete earlier because I was too young and when I was ready two years ago, Laos decided not to have artistic gymnastics.

“So although I will be going through the SPM in the midst of the competition, I am primed for action and eager to win gold,” added Farah, whose role model is former SEA Games gold medallist Nurul Fatiha Hamid.

Farah had a turn at the World Championships in Tokyo last month but failed to win a ticket for next year’s London Olympic Games.

“The level of competition was very high and the exposure has given me a lot of confidence going into my first SEA Games,” she said.

“My coach (Natalia Sinkova) has chosen a medley of upbeat music for my floor routine. I hope it will be a captivating performance.”

Besides the floor exercise, Farah will also be competing in the balance beam, vault, uneven bars and individual all-around, all of which require great strength, power and stamina.

Farah, Tracie Ang, Noor Hasleen Fatihin Hassan and Nur Eli Ellina Azmi make up the women’s squad but they will not be contesting the team event because Tracie is carrying an injury.

“It’s a pity because we would have been one of the favourites for the team gold. Unfortunately, Tracie is not fully fit and will be taking part in only one individual event,” lamented Farah.

“This same team finished fourth at last year’s Commonwealth Games in New Delhi. It was Malaysia’s best outing in the Games and we were looking forward to winning gold in Palembang.”

Now that the focus is all on the individual events, Farah said they would have to watch out for the gymnasts from Vietnam as well as Singapore’s 22-year-old Lim Heem Wei, a silver medallist in the balance beam at the Commonwealth Games.

“Heem Wei retired after New Delhi but is making a comeback for the SEA Games. She will be one of the most senior and experienced challengers for honours,” said Farah.

Besides her team-mates and supportive parents, Farah will have another strong cheerleader at the Games in her sister Katrina Ann, who is a member of the synchronised swimming team.

Farah and Katrina will be urging each other on – a golden sister act in the making.

The Brave Wan Lee Takes Painful Step In Second Bid To Qualify For Olympics

PUTRAJAYA: Malaysia’s top rhythmic gymnast Lee Wan Nin has been given a second shot at qualifying for the Olympic Games in London and she is literally going the extra mile to get back into shape.

The 16-year-old has been making trips to Ipoh – either by train or bus – to get stem cell injections in a bid to speed up her recovery from a back injury.

Wan Nin will compete in her first SEA Games in Palembang from Nov 11-22 – but her main goal is to be in super-solid form for the Test Series in London from Jan 16-18.

She is one of the nine specially chosen rhythmic gymnasts from all over the world to compete in the Test Series, where only the top five will win tickets to the Olympics.

Wan Nin missed the cut for the Olympic Games when she finished 30th in the 130-gymnast field at the World Championships in Paris in September. Only the top 24 were assured of the Olympic spots.

Her 30th spot, however, was Malaysia’s best ever in the world series but it came at a costly price – as she hurt her back.

Wan Nin admitted that injuries were part and parcel of the sport and that she was determined to overcome it.

“My hometown is in Ipoh and I have been seeking treatment there since I got back from the world meet. I felt that it was best to continue with my follow-up treatment there. I have to get three stem cell injections over a period of time. I have had two jabs and my last visit is tomorrow (today),” said Wan Nin, who rushed off to catch a bus back home as soon as the five-day centralised camp at the Palm Garden Hotel here ended yesterday.

“I was hoping to catch a train but all tickets have been sold out because of the Hari Raya Haji celebration on Monday. It’s going to be a hectic trip.

“The doctor usually injects the middle and lower parts of my back at every visit. I am happy that my final visit will be over.

“It is a painful process but I do not mind it. The most important thing is for me to get better.”

Wan Nin hopes to be able to give a creditable performance at the SEA Games but she also realises that she could fall short of her target of winning a gold medal.

“I want to win the gold but I know it will not be easy, especially in the condition I am in right now. It’ll be good to give it a try and see where I stand. The more important event is the Test Series,” said the petite gymnast.

“I missed the cut for the Olympic Games once. I do not want to squander the second opportunity.”

Wan Nin is the sole Malaysian representative for this year’s rhythmic gymnastics competition in the SEA Games following Amy Kwan’s decision to withdraw due to injury.

There will be only one gold medal instead of the usual six on offer because the hosts have decided to limit the number of events.

Wan Nin’s main challenger will be Thailand’s seasoned campaigner Tharatip Sridee.

Amy’s Out, Only Wan Nin To Compete

PETALING JAYA: Malaysia will be left with only one representative in the rhythmic gymnastics competition at the Indonesia SEA Games following Amy Kwan’s withdrawal due to injury.

Malaysia will now bank on Lee Wan Nin to win the solitary gold medal on offer in the rhythmic event when the one-day competition is held in Palembang on Nov 19.

Team manager Petrina Low said that Amy had a stress fracture on her left leg and deemed unfit by the doctors to compete.

“There is only one gold medal on offer in the SEA Games this time. Previously, rhythmic offered six gold medals and Malaysia are usually the biggest winners,” said Petrina.

“We still have Wan Nin and we hope she will stay in good condition to keep Malaysia’s flag flying high in the event.”

Petrina said that the dwindling numbers in the senior team was not a big concern as she felt that there was talent aplenty in the National Junior Championships held in Bukit Jalil yesterday.

Kuala Lumpur’s Fatin Zakira Jalani stole the show when she won four gold medals – one team and three individuals.

In the individual all-around, a consistent Fatin had a total score of 69.499 points to bag the gold. Her team-mate Olivia Tai also did quite well to win two gold medals with strong performances in the hoop and ribbon events.

“The juniors did well and showed that they are on the right track for the future,” said Petrina.

Results

Team: 1. Kuala Lumpur 225.145, 2. Selangor 209.846, 3. Pahang 189.913.

Individual all-around: 1. Fatin Zakira Jalani (Kul) 69.499, 2. Olivia Tai (Kul) 68.140, 3. Ooi Emma (Kul) 66.390.

Hoop: 1. Olivia Tai (Kul) 24.116, 2. Fatin Zakira Jalani (Kul) 23.983, 3. Ooi Emma (Kul) 22.783.

Ball: 1. Fatin Zakira Jalani (Kul) 23.116, 2. Emma Ooi (Kul) 22.183, 3. Olivia Tai (Kul) 21.875.

Clubs: 1. Fatin Zakira Jalani (Kul) 22.400, 2. Shak Yuki (Sel) 21.708, 3. S. Shasangari (Kul) 21.116.

Ribbon: 1. Olivia Tai (Kul) 22.149, 2. Emma Ooi (Kul) 21.424, 3. Veronica Au Wei Ran (Sel) 20.808.

Gymnast Wan Nin shines at world meet, good bet for gold at SEA Games

KUALA LUMPUR: Rhythmic gymnast Lee Wan Nin showed that she can dance her way to a gold medal at the SEA Games in Indonesia after achieving Malaysia’s best result in the World Championships in Mont­pel­lier, France, yesterday.

The 16-year-old Wan Nin finished 30th in a 130-gymnast field with a combined score of 76.000 points in the individual all-around qualifying event.

The top 24 gymnasts who made the all-around final are guaranteed of places in the London Olympics next year. Wan Nin, by virtue of being third in the reserve list, will get to go if three of the top-24 gymnasts pull out.

The good news, however, is that she did better than her closest rival from the South-East Asia region – Thailand’s Tharatip Sridee, who finished in 58th spot with 72.400 points.

Star in the making: Lee Wan Nin gave Malaysia their best ever finish in rhythmic gymnastics at the world meet in France.

Wan Nin was most impressive in two apparatus – hoop and clubs – and was rewarded with identical scores of 25.700. “I am disappointed with my ball routine as I know I could have performed better.

“This finally affected my ranking and I’ve lost my chance to feature in the Olympic Games,” said Wan Nin, who has vowed to train harder for the future competitions.

Malaysia’s Amy Kwan, however, was forced to pull out from the world meet due to a leg injury.

Amy, who won a gold medal in the hoop event at the Asia Pacific Alliance gymnastics championships in Melbourne in May, will have to make a quick recovery if she hopes to get back into shape for the SEA Games.

Malaysian Gymnastics Federation (MGF) secretary N. Shanmugarajah, who was pleased with Wan Nin’s breakthrough performance, expects more promising results from the youngster.

“She is still young but she still managed to overcome the jitters to finish 30th in her first world meet. This is the best result by our rhythmic gymnasts in a world meet series,” beamed Shanmugarajah.

Malaysia’s previous best performer was Elaine Koon, who finished 40th in the world meet in Moscow last year.

Elaine, who won a hoop gold medal at the last year’s Common­wealth Games in India, however, retired from the sport this year.

“Based on her progress in the sport, Wan Nin could have been a multiple medal winner at the SEA Games this year if only the host had not cut down on the number of events. Indonesia are only hosting the individual and team events in the rhythmic gymnastics in Palembang,” he said.

“We are not taking part in the team event because we are short of elite gymnasts. Wan Nin and Amy will take part in the individual all-around event. For now, Wan Nin certainly looks good to win the solitary medal for Malaysia in the rhythmic event.”

Shanmugarajah also credited Wan Nin and the other senior gymnasts’ improvement to the short training stint in St Petersburg, Russia, from Aug 9-30.

He said it also benefited the younger group.

Besides the two seniors, Malaysia had also sent a five-member junior team of Wong Poh Sam, Fatin Zakirah Jalany, Ooi Emma, S. Shasangari and Olivia Tai Qing Tong for exposure in Russia under the charge of national coach Elena Kholodova.

“The juniors returned home just before the world meet but they certainly gained valuable experience. This group of gymnasts are being groomed for the next Commonwealth Games in Scotland in 2014 and the Asian Games in South Korea in 2016,” said Shan­mugarajah.

Tracie’s Olympic Dream Comes To An End

KUALA LUMPUR: Top artistic gymnast Tracie Ang’s dream of qualifying for the London Olympic Games is over.

Women’s artistic coach Mikhail Gutsalyuk confirmed yesterday that he had dropped Tracie from the squad for the World Championships in Tokyo next month because of her ankle injury.

The world meet is the qualifying tournament for next year’s Olympic Games in London.

In Tracie’s absence, only Farah Ann Hadi is left to carry the torch for Malaysia in the world meet.

Tracie, who injured her ankle during the Asean Schools Games in Singapore in July, was dejected at missing the opportunity to compete in her first world meet.

On the mend: Gymnast Tracie Ang is recovering from an ankle injury and has been dropped from the World Championships squad.

“The cast on my ankle has been removed but I have not fully recovered. The world meet is next month and I am still not ready. It will take some time to get back my form,” said Tracie.

“I have been undergoing a rehabilitation programme and light intensity training since injuring my ankle. I have not competed in any warm-up tournaments because of this. My ankle still hurts when I do certain exercises.

“I am sad because I have really put in a lot of effort to be ready for the world meet since the start of the year. Injuries have really been a problem for me.”

The pint-sized lass, however, does not plan to give up the sport yet.

“I still believe I can do well if I am injury-free. I will try to hang on and make a comeback,” said Tracie, who is not the first gymnast under Gutsalyuk’s charge to have suffered from injuries.

Two others in the elite team – Noor Hasleen Fatihin Hasnan and Nur Ily Ilyana Azmi – are also carrying injuries.

Earlier this year, two top gymnasts – Cheong See Teng and Chan Sau Wah – quit the national team due to persistent shoulder and ankle injuries respectively.

With the national team in such a sorry state, it’s almost impossible for Malaysia to even hope for a medal at the SEA Games in Jakarta in November.

Gymnastics used to be one of the big medal contributors for Malaysia in the SEA Games.

Asked if Gutsalyuk’s coaching methods were too hard on the gymnasts, thus triggering the spate of injuries among the gymnasts since he took over the national team two years ago, Malaysian Gymnastics Federation (MGF) president Datuk Dr Zakaria Ahmad said he would wait for the coach’s report first.

“Coaches are responsible for the selection of athletes for tournaments and they know best the athletes’ conditions. Mikhail is a good coach and he has done well to raise the standard of our gymnasts,” said Zakaria.

“Gymnastics, especially artistic, is an injury-prone sport. The more we try to raise the level of difficulties, the more we risk the gymnasts getting injured. Anyway, I will look into Mikhail’s report on Tracie.”

Gymnast Tracie Vows To Overcome Injury Setback For SEA Games

PETALING JAYA: Top woman artistic gymnast Tracie Ang (pic) is down with an ankle injury but she is determined to quickly overcome the setback in a bid to make a strong impact at the Indonesia SEA Games in November. 

Tracie, who fractured her ankle during the Asean School Championships in Singapore last month, needs another two to four weeks to get back on her feet.

“It is unfortunate that I got injured during the floor exercise routine at the Asean school meet. Today, I removed the cast and the doctors assured me that I will be able to train full swing in two to four weeks,” said Tracie.

“I have never won a gold medal for the country in the SEA Games and I hope to achieve it. But first, I hope to recover quickly so that I can compete in the World Championships in Tokyo in October. I will not allow this injury to dampen my spirit,” she added.

Prior to Tracie’s injury, the Malaysian’s gymnastics elite programme had suffered a major setback following the premature exits of two women artistic gymnasts – Cheong See Teng and Chan Sau Wah.

See Teng and Sau Wah’s early retirements have diluted the depth in the women’s artistic team.

The Malaysian Gymnastics Federation (MGF) secretary N. Shanmugarajah confirmed See Teng and Sau Wah’s early retirements on medical grounds.

“There is nothing we could do. See Teng is carrying a shoulder injury and she will also have to go for surgery. Sau Wah is down with an ankle injury and she told us the pain is unbearable,” said Shanmugarajah.

“Their absences will certainly diminish our chance to have a golden harvest in the SEA Games. The others will have to step up if we harbour hopes of winning a few medals there.”

Sau Wah was Malaysia’s gold medallist at the 2007 Korat SEA Games while See Teng was touted to be the country’s top star following her domination in the Malaysia Games (Sukma) and National Championships for several years but injury had always prevented her from competing in major meets.

In the absence of See Teng and Sau Wah and a half-fit Tracie, the others currently in the women’s team are Farah Ann Hadi, Noor Hasleen Fatihin Hasnan and Nur Ily Ilyana Azmi.

The gymnasts are training under Russian coaches Natalia Sinkova and Mikhail Gutsalyuk.

The men’s team of Mohd Irwan Miskob, Mohd Akmal Hakim, Mohd Azlanshah Ismail, Lum Wan Foong, Hairi Zaid and Mohd Hamzahruddin Nordin are currently in China attending a training stint as part of their preparation for the World Championships and the SEA Games.

Wan Nin To Keep Malaysian Flag Flying In Rhythmic Gymnastics

KUALA LUMPUR: Teen gymnast Lee Wan Nin is only in her first senior year but she is ready to replace former international Elaine Koon in keeping the Malaysian flag flying high in rhythmic gymnastics.

The pint-sized 16-year-old has been named for the November SEA Games in Jakarta and the target is to win a gold medal. The other member in the team is lanky Amy Kwan.

Wan Nin, of Bukit Jalil Sports School (BJSS), has also been identified as one of the gymnasts capable of winning a ticket to the Olympic Games through the World Championships, which will be held in Paris in October.

The spotlight is now firmly trained on Wan Nin and Amy following Elaine’s early retirement.

Elaine, the country’s first gold medallist at the Commonwealth Games in New Delhi last year, quit the sport due to some problems with her coach Elena Kholodova.

Many have failed to handle the pressure of sudden fame but not Wan Nin.

The bold and confident lass said that “challenges, be it big or small, are part and parcel of a gymnast’s life”.

“There were expectations when I was a junior and it is the same now that I am in the senior rank. I will just continue to work hard in training,” said Wan Nin.

“I represented Malaysia as a senior for the first time at the World Cup in Paris (in April). I finished 18th out of 51 competitors and it was a good experience for me. It showed me where I stood among the world class gymnasts.”

Wan Nin hopes that a training stint in St Petersburg, Russia, next month would help strengthen her preparation for the SEA Games and World Championships.

“I have been improving in every tournament but I know that I still have a lot to work to do if I want to do well in my debut at the SEA Games and World Championships. I hope to hone my skills during the training at St Petersburg,” she said.

“This time, only one gold medal in the individual all-around is contested in the rhythmic competition at SEA Games. Usually, there are six gold medals on offer.

“That’s why this year’s SEA Games could be tougher than the previous editions.”

Although she has a realistic chance of doing well in the SEA Games compared to the World Championships, Wan Nin is still ready to give a go at the world meet.

Only the top 15 in the world meet are assured of places at the London Olympic Games next year.

Wan Nin and Amy are bring groomed by Kholodova to strike gold medals at the next Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland, in 2014.

Ten Questions with Farah Ann Abdul Hadi

Farah Ann Abdul Hadi is one of the Malaysian national teams’ most experienced and well-known gymnasts.  Known for her beautiful smile and elegant gymnastics, she shines on floor and beam.  Trained by Ukrainian coach Nataliya Sinkova, Farah Ann struggled to overcome a serious back injury to earn her place on the 2010 Delhi Commonwealth Games team, a dream opportunity for her.  Both she and her sister, Katrina Ann, who is a diver, competed at these Games.  With a strong team, and the help of Farah Ann, Malaysia placed fourth at these Games, a massive improvement from their eighth place finish at the 2006 Games.

Farah Ann answered the Couch Gymnast ten Questions this week;

What is your coach always having to remind you?

My coach is always reminding me too straighten my knee’s and point my toes during acro skills. Another thing that my coach reminds me is to watch my weight.  Hehe..=D

What is your proudest moment?

My proudest moment is competing at the Commonwealth Games in New Delhi. This is my proudest moment because it is the biggest competition that I have ever competed in and also because I got to represent my country and make my parents proud. Other than that, when my friends and family found out that I was competing everyone gave me words of encouragement and wished me luck.  They also watched me compete on TV.

What is your most embarrassing moment?

My most embarrassing moment was when I was younger and I was competing.  I was competing on the vault and I just landed.  I wanted to stick my landing so much that I didn’t want to move my feet- until the point that I lost my balance and touched the floor! In the end I got a lot of deductions! Other embarrassing moments are sometimes when I walk around the gym I sometimes trip over mats and fall!

What makes you angry?

Things that make me angry are when I train and I do a skill and I can’t get it right. So, I keep doing it over and over again but I still can’t get it right. Also,  people who betray me and talk about me behind my back is another thing that makes me angry.

What makes you laugh?

Many things make me laugh. During training when I do something silly or when I slip up or my teammates do something funny I usually crack up laughing.

Sometimes when my coaches mimic how we do a skill or tell us jokes it makes me laugh.

Spending time with my team mates is always a laugh when we hang out or go for competitions together we always end up laughing our heads off.

If you could have a superpower, what would it be?

If I could have a superpower it would be the ability to fly. It would be really cool to do any acro skills because I wouldn’t land on my butt..haha….

If you had a whole day off to do whatever you wanted to do, what would you do?

I would spend time with my family and  go to the beach and scuba dive, or go catch a movie with my friends and just hang out.

If you could have the career of any other gymnast, who would it be?

It would be Nastia Liukin because she is an Olympic winner and it is my dream to go to the Olympics.

What makes gymnastics different from other sports?

I think gymnastics is a much more challenging sport and you have to be very focused and brave. What other sport needs you to propel your self in the air and be graceful and strong?

Selangor Just Unbeatable (MSSM 2011)

SELANGOR once again showed their might as they not only retained the overall title with 778 points in the National Schools Age Group Artistic Gymnastics championships but also exacted sweet revenge over Penang to top the medal standings with 18 gold, 18 silver and 11 bronze at the end of the five-day meet in Kota Tinggi yesterday.
Penang topped the medal standings with a 8-3-5 tally last year, Malacca finished a surprise second with 7-5-8 while Selangor could only manage 6-10-4 to finish a disappointing third.

Penang were a pale shadow this year and plunged to 12th place out of the 13 teams with only one gold and two bronze to show for only 137 points.

But this time around, Selangor were simply unbeatable. Powered by national back-up gymnasts like Farah Ann Abdul Hadi and Nur Eli Ellina in the Girls' Under-18 and Daniel Richard Iskandar in the Boys' Under-18 and Choo Choo Yinn Haur in the Boys' Under-15, Selangor reigned supreme.
Farah Ann was also crowned as the Girls' Under-18 overall individual champion while Daniel walked away with the Boys' Under-18 individual title. Choo Yinn Haur made it a treble for Selangor by winning the Boys' Under-15 title.

Sarawak girls contributed hugely to the East Malaysian state's fifth overall finish with 295 points and a medal tally of 8-4-5.

Sarawak's Bulgarian coach Bogomil Momchilov said: "It is a huge step forward for Sarawak gymnastics. We put in a lot of hardwork and this is reflected in the results. I am happy with the outcome."

Sarawak had two girls' individual overall champions. Esmelda Arecia Alfred with 48.250 points came out tops in the Under-12 category while Nasha Amira Baktiar (45.100) reigned supreme in the Under-15.

Selangor coach Mohd Nurul Zaiman was more than pleased with his team's overwhelming success.

"We were determined to retain the overall title, which we did in style. And we completed out mission of wresting the top place in medal standings," he said.

Sabah's Brandon Denoly spoilt Selangor's party by taking the overall individual title in the Boys' Under-12 category.


Read more: Selangor just unbeatable http://www.nst.com.my/nst/articles/68rizfinale/Article#ixzz1H7NkdeHX