PALEMBANG, Aug 29 — Malaysian skateboard athlete Christina Lai Grace injured herself in the warm-up session today before the final of the Women’s Skateboard Park event of the Jakarta-Palembang Asian Games and has been rushed to a hospital.
The 13-year-old athlete fell while warming up with five other athletes and reportedly injured her hip at the Skateboard Stadium of the Jakabaring Sports City here.
The Kuala Lumpur-born athlete was examined on the court by a medical officer and stretchered out to the medical room at the venue for further examination before being taken in an ambulance to the hospital.
Malaysian deputy chef de mission Datuk Dr SS Cheema examined Christina before the medical team sent her to hospital.
He said he felt that the injury was not so serious but added that this could only be ascertained after an X-ray and MRI (magnetic resonance imaging).
“Very unfortunate because she fell before the event began. She is slightly in pain, especially in the hip and lower back. I examined her. It does not look bad. I asked them (the medical team) to do an X-ray and an MRI.
“She is a very determined girl. She was crying not because of the pain but because she is not able to participate. I told her she has a long way to go. Get herself examined, then come and enjoy the sport.
“She is definitely out of the competition now. It’s disappointing to us and all Malaysians,” said the doctor who hails from Kuala Lumpur.
Malaysian coach Johari Fitry Khairrudin, better known as Joe Ipoh, said he hoped that Christina would recover soon to be able to continue participating in the extreme sport.
“It is disappointing, but let’s hope she recovers fast,” he said.
The skateboard event is making its debut in the Jakarta-Palembang Asian Games and will be introduced in the Tokyo Olympics in 2020. — Bernama
