Valerie Ng Zi Yi and Lezane Tan Li Hwe won two gold medals each in rhythmic gymnastics’ individual apparatus final competition as Federal Territory made a total haul of seven golds in the Malaysia Games in Bukit Jalil today.
FT claimed a gold medal in the floor exercise (5 ball) today, and two in the team all-round final on Thursday, taking their total haul to seven in the competition. Selangor bagged a silver and Negeri Sembilan took home a bronze medal.
Valerie won gold in ribbon and clubs, and also added silver medals in ball and ribbon while Lezane took gold in hoop and ball, and silver in the ribbon.
Nur Zhafirah Wong Rudy Kurniawan, a 12-year-old SK Convent {1} Bukit Nanas pupil and youngest athlete in the team, won her first medal in the Games – silver in clubs and Selangor’s Jasmine Low Jia Thong claimed bronze medals in clubs and ribbon.
Federal Territory team manager Clarissa Lee Ching Ching, who is a physical education teacher at SK Convent {1} Bukit Nanas, said the performance of the gymnasts is a big boost to the confidence of the other juniors in FT development programme.
“We managed to uphold the status of gold and silver and off curse the other states have been trying to keep up with us. It is no doubt that the gymnasts have done a good job.”
“We prayed hard that they can do very well today. Lizane and Valerie are with the national squad but Zhafirah is not,” she said.
Zhafirah said she did not expect any medal but was surprised to see the results on the electronic scoreboard.
“I scored high points and was surprised and excited I did well in the eye of the judges,” she added. “I was jumping with joy as I could not believe it.”
