KUALA LUMPUR, April 14 — 2022 Commonwealth Games gold medallist Ng Joe Ee might dance her way in one routine — hoop — during the 15th Rhythmic Gymnastic Championships in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, from May 2 to May 4.
Malaysian Gymnastics Federation (MGF) vice-president Petrina Low said the hoop might be the safest bet for Ng to compete in the regional competition to avoid aggravating her back injury sustained prior to the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games in China last year.
“For now, we plan for her to do only one routine, which is the hoop. Even though the doctor told us nothing was serious, we still had to be careful.
“We do not want to risk her injury, so we picked the hoop because it involves less arching (melentik ke belakang),” she told Bernama.
However, Low did not discount another possibility that Ng will compete in other routines, depending on her progress ahead of her first assignment since Hangzhou Asiad, which is the Rhythmic Gymnastics Bosphorus Cup in Istanbul, Turkiye, from April 19 to April 21.
“After the event in Turkiye, the national gymnasts will then head for a training camp in Baku, Azerbaijan, from April 22 to April 30, before going to Tashkent from April 30 to May 5,” she said.
The 18-year-old Ng will be joined by two other senior gymnasts — Mavia Wong Weng Qin and Lai Yun Jo — as well as two juniors and six others for a group event for the upcoming Asian meet.
While acknowledging that fellow national gymnasts in Tashkent face tricky journeys, Low said qualifying for the finals will be a good achievement for them.
She added that the competition would offer one final spot for the 2024 Olympic Games, which would go to the winner of the individual all-around event.
The 2024 Olympic Games will be held in Paris from July 26 to August 11.
In another development, Low said MGF expect two former national gymnasts — Koi Sie Yan and Izzah Amzan — as assistant coaches for the national team next year.
In December last year, she said the two former Commonwealth Games medallists Izzah and Koi would be hired on a part-time basis as they are still pursuing their higher education.
— Bernama
