Farah Ann will vie again for Olympic spot in Test event

KUALA LUMPUR: Farah Ann Abdul Hadi will get a second shot at qualifying for next year’s Rio de Janeiro Olympics.

She failed to earn a spot at the on-going World Championships in Glasgow, Scotland, after finishing 69th among 240 gymnasts in the individual all-around event with 51.965 points.

Two other Malaysians also in the fray – Tracie Ang and Tan Ing Yueh – finished 82nd and 140th.

But as the best-placed Malaysian, Farah will get to compete in a Test event in Rio in April. Twenty-four gymnasts will be picked to complete the 96-woman cast at the Olympics in August next year.

The World Championships and the Test event are the only two Olympic qualifying competitions for gymnastics.

Said Malaysian Gymnastics Federation (MGF) secretary N. Shamugarajah: “Farah is the first Malaysian woman to make the cut for the Test event. She is improving in every championship and we hope that she will secure a spot in Rio.”

Au Li Yen was the only Malaysian woman artistic gymnast ever to compete in the Olympics. She was on the reserve list but made it to the 2000 Sydney Olympics when one of the qualifiers withdrew.