KUALA LUMPUR: Tracie Ang has returned to training and she is waiting anxiously waiting for a call-up to join the national artistic gymnastics team for the Glasgow Commonwealth Games from July 23-Aug 3.
The 20-year-old suffered a back injury last month and only returned to the gym two weeks ago. Now, she is hoping to be granted a place in the squad along with Farah Ann Abdul Hadi, Tan Ing Yueh and Britain-based Natasha Raymund Jayadev Devaraj.
“It’s been going well so far. I’m back training and getting the feel again. There is no word out yet whether I’ll be included in the team, but I’m hoping for the best,” said Tracie.
In the last Games in New Delhi in 2010, Tracie was the best Malaysian performer. She finished ninth in the all-around individual and qualified for two apparatus finals - vault (sixth) and floor exercise (eight). Malaysia also finished fourth in the team event.
The artistic competition offers six golds – balance beam, floor, uneven bars, vault, all-around individual and team event.
If she makes the team, Tracie may opt to pick the events to compete in considering that she has just returned from injury.
“It’s tough to choose. No apparatus is easy and the impact in landing is quite hard for some of the events like floor exercise, vault and (uneven) bars,” said Tracie.
“If I have to choose, then maybe I’d say the landing on the (balance) beam is a little less strenuous,” she said.
National coach Nataliya Sinkova is confident Tracie is up to the task should she make the team.
“Tracie is unique. She’s an all-around gymnast. On her day, she’s our strongest gymnast. She’s usually among the top-eight finishers when we compete overseas. We need to send our strongest team to Glasgow,” said Sinkova.
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