KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 7 — National rhythmic gymnast Ng Joe Ee will be counting on the Baku lucky stars once again, to fare well in the upcoming Hangzhou 2022 Asian Games.
The 17-year-old might be soon departing to the capital of Azerbaijan for a two-week long training stint before competing at the Hangzhou Games from October 6 to October 7.
The Baku training camp will definitely be a feel-good factor for Ng, as it was the same place she went before the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games, last year.
After the previous successful stint in Baku, the teenager stunned the crowd at Arena Birmingham, by bagging the individual ball and ribbon events gold medal.
This time around, when she dances for her rhythm in the individual all-around event at the Huanglong Sports Centre Gymnasium, Ng hopes to at least advance to the final round considering tough challenges from the continent’s best gymnasts.
“The Baku stint is mainly for high ceiling practice because in Malaysia there are no suitable centres to throw higher for movements. I will need to focus on training every minute there because not everyone will get this opportunity…last time, I was training eight hours a day there.
“I will get to train with their national athletes, while the local judges will help to assess and correct me. Most crucial is my mental, because if my mental is good, then my performance and confidence level will be better,” she told reporters after chef-de-mission Datuk Chong Kim Fatt’s visit to a training session earlier today.
Ng added her performances in the past few competitions this year were shaky after changing to difficult routines, but hopes to put up a formidable show in Hangzhou.
Meanwhile, artistic gymnast Muhammad Sharul Aimy, who had just recovered from a right ankle injury, also hopes to make the finals of the men’s vault in Hangzhou.
“I just resumed training last week and want to be in the best shape in the last two weeks. My target is to make it to the final, once there, I will have to put up a sizzling performance to win a medal,” he said.
The artistic gymnastic competition is scheduled from September 24 to September 29 at the same venue.
The last time Malaysia won a medal in the Asian Games gymnastics was in the 2006 Doha edition when Ng Shu Wai clinched the men’s vault silver medal.
— Bernama
