KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 28 — The national artistic gymnastics squad have to face a tough task of qualifying for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics Games before shifting their focus to the Philippines SEA Games.
They are tasked with collecting at least 52 points in the 2019 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships to be held in Stuttgart, Germany from October 4 to 13.
National coach, Nataliya Sinkova has identified three artistic gymnasts for the World Championships, namely Tan Ing Yueh, Tracie Ang and Farah Ann Abdul Hadi.
“So what we are looking for in the World Championships is our dream to qualify for Olympic Games. This is another trial before Sea Games starts with the hope to get the best results.
“We are looking for the overall score mark, so that’s why these three gymnasts will do all four events. We are aiming for the maximum that we can achieve, to score 52 points and above because it is important for Olympic qualification,” she said at the Team Malaysia press conference here today.
Commenting on the SEA Games preparations, Sinkova said the Malaysian Gymnastics Federation (MGF) has named five gymnasts — Ing Yueh, Tracie, Farah Ann, Rachel Yeoh Li Wen and Nur Azira Aziri.
Sinkova admitted they had a target of a clean sweep all four gold medals offered in the floor exercise, balance beam, vault and uneven bar.
“We set a target of all golds for the girls. The chance is always there, we are ready to take all golds. We just need luck and pray, that’s all. We have five gymnasts to prepare, Nur Azira was already in previous SEA Games and the new one will be Rachel. I hope she can show some nice routines. This is her first SEA Games,” she said.
Although they are expecting a tough fight from the Indonesian, Vietnamese and Singaporean gymnasts, Sinkova said her girls were up for the challenge. — Bernama
