Group exercise gymnasts bag gold after two years of hard work

National gymnasts Amira Sofiya, Chan Mei Thung, Koh Jeh Yi, Tee Wei Qi and Thew Yue Jia pose with their Gold medals in 29th SEA Games KL2017 Group Mixed Apparatus (2 Ropes and 3 Balls) Gymnastic Rhythmic final at Malaysian International Trade and Exhibition Centre (MITEC) Monday. - Bernama.

AFTER almost two years of hard work, it all came down to “this one moment in time” for Malaysia’s group exercise gymnasts.

And they duly delivered – bagging another gold in the mixed apparatus of the rhythmic gymnastics competition at the Malaysian International Trade and Exhibition Centre (MiTEC) yesterday.

The team of Amira Sofiya Amirul Fares, Chan Mei Thung, Koh Jie Yi, Tee Wei Qi, Tee Wei Wen and Thew Yue Jia emerged victorious in the two rope and three balls mixed apparatus finals with a 15.350-point total.

Vietnam took the silver with 13.650 points and Singapore the bronze with 11.450 points.

It was the team’s second gold. They had earlier won the singles apparatus (five hoops) on Sunday.

Team manager Dr Farrah-Hani Imran was clearly impressed with their commitment.

As she succinctly put it: “They have worked hard under coach Eriko Akebayashi of Japan since the Singapore Games (in 2015).

“And all those years of training was for just this two minutes and 30 seconds on the carpet – truly it’s their one moment in time.

“It’s a hard-earned victory. Mei Thung and Wei Wen will be sitting for their SPM (Sijil Pelajaran Malay­sia) exam while Wei Qi is preparing for her STPM (Sijil Tinggi Pelajaran Malaysia).

“Yet, they still trained full-time.”

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