ONE STEP CLOSER: Sarawak’s women volleyball team players in jovial mood as they celebrate their 3-0 victory over Perlis in the quarterfinals yesterday. — Photo by Helen Tang
State gymnasts should have more time to prepare for the games
KUCHING: Sarawak could have achieved more in Sukma XVI artistic gymnastics competition if only they were informed much earlier by the organisers on its inclusion in this year’s games.
This was revealed by Sarawak State Sports Council (MSNS) coordinator for gymnastic, Dedia Sarini Ahmad who told The Borneo Post recently that the organisers had only confirmed its inclusion just a few months before.
“We had received the news quite late…sometime in February and March but by then it was already few months to Sukma,” she lamented on the last minute confirmation received.
According to her, some of the states may not affected by the decision because most of their gymnasts had already returned from overseas stints prior to the start of Sukma.
“Unlike us, the national gymnasts had just returned from an international event held in Singapore about a month before the Sukma and for Farah…she had just competed in this year’s World Gymnastics Championship held in Germany,” Dedia said on the overseas stints national gymnasts had went just before the games.
This included Farah Ann Hadi of Selangor who was one of the favourites.
Despite the shortcomings, Esmelda Arecia Geling had ended Sarawak’s gold medal drought after she won gold medals in the vault and balance beam events on Wednesday.
“She was up against those who are either in the national or back up squad…Farah and Tan are both in the national squad while Esmelda is not,” said Dedia on the nerve of steel shown by Esmelda in the final of all-around individual event which was participated by the country’s top gymnasts.
The 13-year-old petite gymnast also won two silvers in Kuala Lumpur and became the talk of the town after winning bronze in the challenging all-round individual event final held on Tuesday.
Despite losing to Farah who was ahead of national team-mate Tan Ing Yueh of Melaka, Esmelda had finished third with only 2.72 points behind the 17-year-old silver medallist.
Esmelda is still considered as a greenhorn to the games because this is only her second outing when compared to the much experienced Farah and Tan who had competed in the last five Sukmas.
But Esmelda had gained a lot of experience and confidence after taking part in this year’s Malaysia Schools Sports Council (MSSM) artistic gymnastics championships held in Shah Alam, Selangor.
She together with fellow team mates, Linda Lim, Nur Amira Idayah Hayadi, Sufi Sofiyah Kadir and Syahzani Izzati Wan Yusof won silver in the team event after losing to champion Selangor by only three points.
Esmelda who won three gold medals in the MSSM girls’ Under-15 vault, uneven bars and floor exercise must have experiences the David versus Goliath match against the much experienced competitors.
She was among the youngest in the field and certainly not one of the expected winners but her true grit had shown otherwise.