Izzah ends her junior days with a bang

Fourteen-year-old Izzah Amzan made a clean sweep in the MSSM rhythmic gymnastic competition with four gold medals in the apparatus finals. - YAP CHEE HONG / The Star

KUALA LUMPUR: The journey has only just begun for Federal Territory gymnast Izzah Amzan.

The 14-year-old ended her junior days at the MSSM (national schools) rhythmic gymnastics competition in style – making a clean sweep of the gold medals in all four apparatus finals – on Thursday.

After clinching top spot in the rope (13.733), Izzah suffered a 0.30-point deduction in the hoop event after mishandling the apparatus to score 12.932 points, ahead of team-mate Nur Naieme Zainul Ariffin (11.932).

After putting on an energetic and near faultless routine in the ball event, Izzah mouthed a decisive “yes” at the end.

Izzah took the ball gold medal with 14.663 points and also clinched the clubs 13.499, just a whisker ahead of Naieme (13.466). Selangor’s Fong Wan Qin (12.466) took the bronze. 

Selangor gave the competition a good fight, with a confident Wan Qin winning two more silvers in the ball and rope events while the spunky Tai Ushyan claimed two bronzes in the ball and hoop event.

The clean sweep helped Izzah cap a fantastic month, having won silver (ball) and bronze (individual all-around) in her first international competition at the Aphrodite Cup in Faliro, Greece, last week. 

With the schools competition now over for her, Izzah is looking ahead.

“I’m really happy ... but there’s still a long way to go,” said Izzah, who won a total of six gold medals at the meet.

“I know the four seniors who have gone on before me, like Olivia (Tai Qing Tong) and Shasa (Shasangari Sivaneswary Nagarajan) ... they have a wealth of experience. And knowing that I’ll be joining their ranks next year is a little nerve-wracking.

“It’s not going to be easy making the senior grade next year, but I’ve got to double my efforts as even the next crop of gymnasts like Naieme, Wan Qin and Ushyan are rising fast.”

Thursday’s combined eight-gold haul – contributed by Izzah and pre-juniors Rayna Hoh Khai Ling (clubs, free hand, rope) and Jingle Shak Qi (hoop) – saw FT wrap up the overall title with 12 golds, nine silvers and eight bronzes. Selangor are second with a haul of 6-9-6.

The final day offers three more gold medals in the group exercise finals.