Retired but not resting as Farah serves sport in new ways

More to give: Farah Ann Abdul Hadi posing for a photograph with Youth and Sports Minister Dr Mohd Taufiq Johari (centre) and NSC director-general Jefri Ngadirin

PETALING JAYA: Former national gymnastics queen Farah Ann Abdul Hadi may have stepped away from competition, but her schedule remains as full as ever.

From plans to establish her own academy to judging and mentoring young athletes, the 31-year-old has kept herself constantly on the move since retiring from the sport in 2022.

Farah revealed that setting up an academy is firmly in her long-term plans, although she is still exploring the right location and partnerships to make it a reality.

“I plan to open my own academy in the next five years, maybe,” said Farah.

“Right now I’m looking for the right space and figuring out where to start, and of course, finding the right strategic partners will be good too.

“With gymnastics, you need a big space, and it also requires strong financial backing.”

While that dream remains in the pipeline, Farah has been actively involved in various roles within the sporting community.

She served as the chef de mission for the Malaysian contingent to last year’s Asian Youth Games in Bahrain and has been travelling regularly for competitions as a licensed judge under the International Gymnastics Federation.

Although she enjoys guiding the next generation, Farah said her current focus is more on officiating than coaching.

“I’m not really focused on being a coach at the moment, but as a licensed judge, I’ve been travelling and was one of the jury members during the SEA Games in Thailand.”

Beyond the technical side of sport, she is also passionate about helping athletes build mental resilience to cope with the demands of high-performance competition.

“I’ve been looking into doing more mental health programmes – not just for gymnasts, but for athletes from all sports,” said the seven-time SEA Games gold medallist.

Recently, Farah was among 15 former athletes appointed as Malaysian Athletes and Career Education (MACE) ambassadors for the My Athlete Centre in Bukit Jalil.

The centre is open to all athletes seeking support to manage stress and receive emotional and mental guidance.