A Home Ground Advantage For Gymnastics Squad To Bag Gold Medals In 2017 KL SEA G

NormanJB

After diving queens Pandelela Rinong and Cheong Jun Hoong; badminton doubles pairs Chan Peng Soon and Goh Liu Ying as well as Goh V Shem and Tan Wee Kiong; shuttler king Lee Chong Wei, along with our ‘Pocket Rocketman’ Azizulhasni Awang, made us proud in the Rio Olympics 2016, bagging four Silvers and a Bronze on the world stage, now our athletes are gearing up to battle against the wave of equally competitive tides between neighbouring countries as the 29th Southeast Asian (SEA) Games commences this August 19.

With Youth and Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin predicting 2017 to be a “breakthrough year” for our national athletes, the SEA Games, as he quipped, would also become “a stepping stone and platform for success in the future.” On top of that, Khairy expressed his wish for Malaysia to become overall champions at the SEA Games – making the stakes higher – especially for one of the huge Gold medal potentials for Malaysia – the gymnastics squad.

Our gymnastic squad will be competing in two separate categories namely the artistic and rhythmic events. And following a promising start on the Malaysian front, artistic gymnast Farah Ann Abdul Hadi who won two gold medals, a silver medal and three bronze medals at the 2015 event, will return as one of the hopefuls, apart from male counterpart Jeremiah Loh Phay Xing, and rhythmic gymnast Shasangari Sivaneswary Nagarajan.

The Growth Of Malaysian Gymnastics Throughout The Years

Gymnastics has always been one of the country’s medal hopefuls, since the Malaysian Amateur Gymnastics Association (MAGA) was formed and made its debut in 1969 – in the SEA Games in Rangoon, Burma, winning a Bronze medal in the Vaulting Event.

MAGA was later deregistered in 1971 – to which Professor Dato Dr Zakaria Hj Ahmad initiated the formation of the Malaysian Gymnastics Federation (MGF) as its replacement in 1978.

Interesting to note that MGF had also provided other Southeast Asian countries with expert advice when it comes to the gymnastics discipline. It became a member of the International Gymnastics Federation and Olympic Council of Malaysia in 1979.

The legend herself in action (Faiznur Miskin/Facebook)

Speaking with MGF Honorary Secretary N. Shanmugarajah, he explained to Malaysian Digest, “Through its inception, the MGF has administered and developed the sports of gymnastics to become one of the leading sports association in the country – led by pioneers like myself (Shanmugarajah), and Mrs Khaw Choon Ean whom threw rhythmic gymnastics into the mix in 1982 by inviting Mrs Emmy Bellwood, who flew all the way from New Zealand to conduct the introductory Coaches Course in Malaysia.”

“MGF had also pioneered the formation of the Southeast Asian Gymnastics Confederation (SEAGCON) back in 1985 with Professor Dato Dr Zakaria Haji Ahmad selected as Vice President and myself as Honorary Secretary.

“Having the SEAGCON, Olympic Council of Malaysia (OCM) and National Sports Council of Malaysia (NSC), the relatively newcomer – rhythmic gymnastics made its debut in the KL SEA Games back in 1989,” he adds.

To which brings us to the attention of legendary gymnast – Faiznur Miskin – who demonstrated an impressive feat of single-handedly bagging five goals in her rhythmic gymnastics feat.

Sumber - MD