Sweet success: Valerie scored her biggest achievement in rhythmic gymnastics by scooping five medals at the recent Sukma.
HARD work pays off – that is Valerie Ng Zi Yi’s motto and it has served her well as a national rhythmic gymnast.
At her debut outing in the Malaysia Games (Sukma) held in Kuala Lumpur recently, the 14-year-old tasted the fruits of her labour when she bagged five medals – three golds and two silvers – for the Federal Territories (FT). The cherry on top for her was contributing the 50th gold for the FT contingent, who garnered a total of 55 gold medals at the Games, which was held from Sept 16 to 24.
On her win, which is also her biggest achievement as an athlete to date, Valerie expressed relief that her hard work had paid off.
Looking back on her performance at Gymnasium 1 in Bukit Jalil, she shared that she was initially upset about not meeting her expectations on the first day of her gymnastics event.
“But I was determined to move on and stay focused on the subsequent days by controlling my emotions, putting aside my fears and giving my all,” she told StarEdu. It was the same positive mindset that had seen her through her preparation for the Games when she struggled to regain her form after sustaining a hip muscle tear last July – just two months before the competition.
“It was a difficult time for me when I returned to training after my recuperation period because I was not satisfied with my routine performances like before.
“As the competition dates were approaching, I began to feel more scared and stressed out,” she recalled.
Having the support of the people around her, she said, helped ease her anxiety.
“Thankfully, my sister, friends and psychologist were there to motivate me.
“Eventually, that helped me through those tough times and made me realise that things take time to become better,” she said.
In fact, valiantly soldiering on is a quality Valerie has shown throughout her participation in the sport, which she got into after encountering it at the age of eight.
“I saw my friend taking part in the sport and thought it was interesting and unique,” she shared.
Soon after becoming a gymnast, she began competing at local competitions at the age of nine and at international competitions when she turned 10.
In the middle of 2020, when she was offered the opportunity to participate in a national squad selection with other young gymnasts, she seized it immediately.
That was how she won a spot to join the national team and began training under her current coach Valeriya Danilina.
A student at Campus Rangers International School, Valerie has to constantly juggle her roles as a student and a rhythmic gymnast – her usual days run in a cycle of going to school in the morning and heading to the gym right after for training until 9pm.
Conceding that it can get “a bit difficult”, she said sometimes, she has to skip school for a few weeks due to double training sessions to prepare for competitions.
When asked what appeals to her most about rhythmic gymnastics, Valerie said performing before an audience and supporters makes her feel alive.
Describing rhythmic gymnastics as “a very beautiful and unique sport”, she believes it is all about “showing your presentation and style by giving it all on the carpet”.
She added that sharing a bond with her teammates has made her journey all the more memorable.
Taking inspiration from her role models – the seniors in the national team – Valerie is determined to train hard in hopes of improving her skills.
“My goals are to compete in high-level competitions such as the World Championships and Commonwealth Games. To do that, I will definitely have to train harder to improve myself and go beyond my limits,” she enthused.
She advised budding athletes aspiring to do well in rhythmic gymnastics to “focus during training and competitions”.
“Usually, I would motivate myself with pep talks and try to stay optimistic during competitions,” she said.
A staunch proponent of her own motto, Valerie also emphasised the need to “work hard”.
“Once you’re there, don’t stop because it will be worthwhile in the end.”
Hoi Kei, 20, a student in Kuala Lumpur, is a participant of the BRATs Young Journalist Programme run by The Star’s Newspaper-in-Education (Star-NiE) team.
Now that you have read the article, test your understanding by carrying out the following English language activities.
1. Apart from hard work, what do you think are some other values that a person needs to have in order to succeed in his or her field of interest? Explain your answer, using Valerie as an example.
2. Do you have a motto that you live by? What is it? Using words and pictures from today’s copy of the Sunday Star newspaper, design your motto on a sheet of A4 paper. Then, present it to a friend or family member as a motivational gift.
3. What would you consider a beautiful and unique sport? Explain your choice with examples from the Sport section of the newspaper. Do this activity with a partner.
Since 1997, The Star’s Newspaper-in-Education (Star-NiE) programme has supported English language teaching and learning in primary and secondary schools nationwide. Now in its 25th year, Star-NiE is continuing its role of promoting the use of English language through a weekly activity page in StarEdu. In addition, Star-NiE’s BRATs Young Journalist Programme will continue to be a platform for participants to hone and showcase their English language skills, as well as develop their journalistic interests and instincts. Follow our updates at facebook.com/niebrats. For Star-NiE enquiries, email starnie@thestar.com.my.
