BANGKOK, Dec 15 — Malaysia’s rhythmic gymnastics squad leaped, twirled, and danced their way to team gold at SEA Games Thailand today.
Led by 2022 Commonwealth Games gold medallist Ng Joe Ee, the Malaysians earned a score of 234.60 points in today’s final at Thammasat University Rangsit Campus in Pathum Thani.
The format saw two individual gymnasts each perform four routines — hoop, ball, ribbon and clubs — while six others performed two routines.
Team manager Afrita Ariany Nasril said the team chose to perform five ribbons in the first routine and two hoops and three balls in the second routine.
Afrita said, Joe Ee and Mavia Wong on the other hand, were tasked to do two individual exercises.
“A tough fight from the hosts, but we’re glad to win it,” she told Bernama.
Despite helping her team secure their first ever gold at the SEA Games here, Joe Ee said she was unsatisfied with her performance today.
“Could have done better. Quite sad because I dropped the ball during the performance,” she said.
Hosts Thailand came in second place with 222.36 points and the Philippines finished third with 174.42 points.
Meanwhile, Malaysian athletics star Andre Anura Anuar redeemed his failure to clinch men’s triple jump hattrick golds on December 11 by winning the men’s long jump event at Suphachalasai Stadium here today.
The success saw the 26-year-old athlete leap 7.71m to claim gold, ending Malaysia’s 22-year drought in the event, last won by Shahrul Amri Suhaimi at the 2003 edition in Vietnam.
He overcame challenges from Philippine athlete and defending champion Janry Ubas, who jumped 7.64m, while Andrew George Medina of Singapore took bronze with a jump of 7.53m.
Andre said he could hardly believe he was holding a SEA Games gold this time as luck had not favoured him in the men’s triple jump, where he won silver, and especially after surpassing Janry today.
“I knew I lost in the triple jump, then I knew I had to (redeem myself)... the long jump was my last hope. I still can’t quite believe it,” he told reporters.
He dedicated the gold medal to his wife, national women’s squash player Aifa Azman, and his family in Sabah.
Andre Anura added that he will now focus on preparing for Commonwealth Games 2026 in Glasgow.
On December 11, Andre Anura recorded 16.29m in the men’s triple jump, narrowly missing gold to Vietnam’s Ho Trong Manh Hung, who jumped 16.33m, while Gabriel Jing Yi of Singapore claimed bronze with 16.09m. He had won the event in the 2021 and 2023 editions.
The SEA Games end on Saturday after it kicked off on December 9 in Bangkok and Chonburi.
