Former Champion Nurul Puts Artistry Back In Gymnasts

PETALING JAYA: Former gymnast Nurul Fatiha Abdul Hamid has proved that a local coach can also produce results in international tournaments.

Just a few days ago, she passed her first test as the head coach of the women’s elite artistic team with flying colours when her charges, led by the diminutive Tracie Ang, swept four gold medals in the Singapore Open from June 15-17.

Besides Tracie, the other medal winners were the talented Tan Ing Yueh, Farah Ann Abdul Hadi and Nur Eli Ellina Abdul Hadi.

It was the artistic team’s first major success in two years as several of them had been plaqued with injuries since the 2010 Asian Games in Guangzhou.

Nurul, who in her reign as the queen of artistic gymnastics had won gold in the 2001, 2003, 2005 and 2007 SEA Games, took over the hot seat from Russia’s Mikhail Gutsalyuk in February and her first goal was to restore the confidence of her charges.

The team’s morale was low as there was dissatisfaction with Gutsalyuk’s training methods. Injuries were a problem and even resulted in top gymnasts like Cheong See Teng and Chan Sau Wah calling it quits.

What made the outing of Nurul’s squad special was that, in some events, her charges did even better than London Olympics-bound Lim Heem Wei of Singapore. None of the Malaysian gymnasts qualified for the Games.

The 26-year-old Nurul was overwhelmed with the positive start to her coaching career and paid tribute to her charges for defying the odds.

“For almost a year, none of our gymnasts were given the opportunity to compete in international tournaments as most of them were nursing some kind of injury. This time, they put up fine performances to show their potential,” said Nurul.

“We went with hope of winning two gold medals but they surpassed all expectations. They executed their routines with confidence and finesse. These gymnasts persevered and showed their strong desire to succeed. They deserve a big pat on their back for not giving up hope.”

Nurul, however, conceded that there were many challenges ahead.

“It was a good start and a good experience for the girls and me. But I can’t be satisfied with this achievement alone. We still have a long way to go. There are many areas that we need to improve,” she said.

The national team’s next assignment is the Asean Schools meet in Indonesia, beginning June 28, and Nurul is keeping her fingers crossed for some of her girls, who are eligible for the competition, to keep the momentum going.

The top performer in Singapore was Tracie, who won the individual all-around title and the uneven bars. Ing Yueh was equally outstanding as she contributed gold medals in the vault and floor exercise.

RESULTS

(Malaysians unless stated)
Individual all-around: 1. Tracie Ang 50.050, 2. Lim Heem Wei (Sin) 49.650, 3. Nur Eli Ellina Azmi 45.650.

Vault: 1. Tan Ing Yueh 12.85, 2. Nur Eli Ellina Azmi 12.10, 3. Rita Ariska (Ina) 10.98

Uneven bars: 1. Tracie Ang 12.6, 2. Farah Ann Abdul Hadi 11.5, 3. Lim Heem Wei (Sin) 10.15

Balance beam: 1, Lim Heem Wei (Sin) 13.40, 2. Tracie Ang 12.80, 3. Foo En Ning (Sin) 12.05

Floor Exercise: 1. Tan Ing Yueh 12.60, 2. Lim Heem Wei (Sin) 12.05, 3. Tracie Ang 11.10

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.

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.

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.

Tracie, See Teng Get Chance To Impress At The World Cup

PETALING JAYA: Tracie Ang and Cheong See Teng have a chance to vault Malaysian women’s artistic gymnastics to greater heights once again after the sport has been in the doldrums for almost two years.

The duo will be out to impress the selectors at the World Cup, which will start in Paris today.

Motivated: Tracie Ang and Cheong See Teng (below, left) aim to lift Malaysian women’s artistic gymnastics out of the doldrums.

A good showing will ensure that Malaysian women gymnasts are represented in the artistic event at the Commonwealth Games in India in October.

The Paris outing is the team’s first international tournament this year.

The women’s artistic team have been in cold storage following the lack of outstanding results and the retirement of Nurul Fatiha Abdul Hamid after the 2007 SEA Games in Korat has left a huge void in the squad.

Chan Sau Wah shone briefly when she won a gold medal at the Korat SEA Games before sinking into oblivion.

Malaysian Gymnastics Federation (MGF) secretary N. Shanmugarajah said they wanted full representation at the Commonwealth Games.

“The focus may have been more on rhythmic gymnastics and the men’s artistic over the last two years. There were times when we were unable to send women’s artistic gymnasts out for competition because of a lack of depth in the team,” said Shanmugarajah.

“We hope that the situation will change this year.

“We are sending Tracie and See Teng out for the first time this year. They have done well in training and we need to gauge their performances in a competitive field.

“They need to do well so that we can justify their inclusion in the Commonwealth Games. This Games is one of our main targets this year,” said Shanmugarajah.

Both Tracie and See Teng are making a grand comeback after going through dark moments in their respective careers.

They had been bugged by a series of injuries but currently, the duo are showing better grip in their game under the guidance of Russian coach Mikhail Gutsalyuk.

Sea Games: Chrystal’s Unique Ritual Lands Her Three Golds

RHYTHMIC gymnast Chrystal Lim kissed all her apparatus at the start of her routines yesterday. And after having produced outstanding performances to emerge as the biggest winner, decided not to kiss goodbye to the Games – not just yet.

The 19-year-old Chrystal won the hearts of the judges and even the Thai audience with her mesmerising displays at the National Indoor I Stadium in Korat.

Chrystal won three of the four individual finals - rope (15.475), clubs (15.975) and ribbon (15.425) events. She took silver in the hoop event (15.525).

With her successes yesterday, Chrystal is the third Malaysian to win four gold medals in SEA Games rhythmic gymnastics after Durratun Nashihin Rosli (2003 Hanoi) and Foong Seow Ting (2005 Manila). On Thursday, Chrystal had steered the team to the gold.

And she also gave another reason for Malaysia to smile yesterday. Her three gold medal winning performances took Malaysia past Vietnam for second place in the overall medals standings.

Golden kisses: Malaysia’s Chrystal Lim kissed all her apparatus before performing to ensure that they would not fall out of her hands. It must have worked as she turned on a flawless display to win three gold medals out of the four at stake in rhythmic gymnastics on the last day of the 24th SEA Games in Korat. Her three wins, coupled with the polo team's victory in the last event of the Games, gave Malaysia 68 gold medals, surpassing their target, and second place behind hosts Thailand. — GLENN GUAN / The Star

Seow Ting, affected by an ankle injury, bagged three bronze medals (rope, clubs and ribbon) while debutant Jaime Lee finished third in the hoop.

The smile was back on Chrystal after the disappointment of losing the gold in the individual all-around a day ago.

“I have never won any individual gold in my last two SEA Games and came very close yesterday. Today, I won three gold in a day. This is awesome,” said a jubilant Chrystal.

“I kissed my apparatus because I was bent on not letting slip any of them from my hands today. I had a firm grip on all of them and it did not give the judges an opportunity to deduct my points.”

When asked about her retirement plan, she paused for a while and said: “No, I cannot decide now ... not after I have had a great outing like this here. Yes, I want to further my studies and I will have discussions with my family before deciding on my future.”

Her family, especially mother Chan Poh Lin, has been the pillar of strength for Chrystal.

“My mother burned her fingers while trying to fix these glittering studs on my leotard. It has to be hot to stick them on. She spent weeks to prepare all my four attire for the Games. She has sacrificed a lot and I think, I have really made her very happy today,” said Chrystal.

In a twist: Foong Seow Ting performs in the rhythmic gymnastics ribbon final at the SEA Games on Saturday. Seow Ting won the bronze.

Yesterday, though, Chrystal had to bring her game to a greater height to fend off a strong challenge from Thailand's Sridee Tharatip.

“I did not worry about Sridee but my own performances. Winning my pet event, the ribbon, is the most memorable one. But landing a gold in the clubs, the most difficult apparatus, made it even more special,” she added.

Sridee, who won the individual all-around amidst controversy over biased judging, took the clubs gold on 16.050 points.

Said Malaysia's coach Elena Kholodova: “When Chrystal won the first gold in the rope event with a good score today, I knew the judges had taken notice of our dissatisfaction over the scores yesterday.

“I am happy that my gymnasts did not fumble even though the pressure was great on them.”

With the conclusion of the competition yesterday, Malaysia won a total of six gold medals in gymnastics - one better than the target set by the Malaysian Gymnastics Federation (MGF).

Malaysia won two gold medals in the artistic competition through Ooi Wei Siang and Chan Sau Wah.

Nurul, Chrystal Hope To End Career On High Note

THE Korat SEA Games will be the swansong for senior gymnasts Nurul Fatiha Abdul Hamid and Chrystal Lim. And both will be on different missions in their bids to end their careers on a high note.

Nurul's dream is to see the emergence of new stars in the national women's artistic gymnastics team to continue her legacy when she quits competitions after the Games in Korat.

The petite Nurul, who will be making her fourth appearance in the biennial Games, has never failed to contribute a gold medal since she made her debut in 2001 in Kuala Lumpur. And she hopes that the golden glitter for her will continue in Korat.

The lack of new stars in the national team was evident in the last Games in Manila in 2005 and Nurul emerged as the sole Malaysian gold medallist in women's artistic gymnastics.

“This will be my last SEA Games and I want to end it on a high note. My goal is to win a gold in the uneven bars,” said the 21-year-old Nurul.

Strike a pose: Rhythmic gymnasts (from left) Jaime Lee, Wan Siti Haniza Wan Izahar, Chrystal Lim and Foong Seow Ting (front) stretch during a training session.

“But more than that, I would like to see my junior team-mates do well. I will motivate them to challenge for gold medals. It will be great to end my career knowing that there are gymnasts ready to take over from me.”

The others in the team are Nabihah Ali, Tracie Ang, Noor Hasleen Fatihin and Chan Sau Wah and Games rookie Loh Hui Xin.

“Although I was bugged by injuries occasionally, I have had a great journey as a national gymnast over the last six years. I am now injury-free and I hope to give a strong performance in Korat,” added Nurul.

In rhythmic gymnastics, the 20-year-old Chrystal will be out to end an individual title drought in her third SEA Games.

“This will be my last SEA Games. I want to further my studies in graphic designing. Hopefully, this Games will turn out to be the best-ever for me,” she said.

"It will be great to end my career knowing that there are gymnasts ready to take over from me" NURUL FATIHA ABDUL HAMID

The others in the team are Foong Seow Ting, Jaime Lee and Wan Siti Haniza Wan Izahar.

Chrystal made her debut at the Hanoi SEA Games. Then the star of the competition was Durratun Nashihin Rosli, who won five gold medals. At the 2005 Manila Games, Seow Ting stole the thunder with four gold medals.

“I have only won the team gold medal in the previous two Games. My best in the individual effort was a silver medal in the ribbon event. It will be a perfect parting gift if I can land a gold this time,” said Chrystal.

Despite the absence of Durratun, who quit the sport in September, Malaysia are looking good to emerge as the rhythmic overall champions for the third consecutive time.

Said Russian coach Lidia Legotina: “I think our team can win all the six gold medals. But we cannot discount the challenge from hosts Thailand.”