SERIAN: Despite fielding a small team of just four athletes, the Sarawak artistic gymnastics squad delivered an impressive performance, securing a top 10 finish in the men’s artistic gymnastics team finals at the 21st Malaysia Games (SUKMA).
The determined team of Muhammad Nazrieez Zanial Najib, Mohamad Aqiel Tsaqief Mohamad Azfar, Joachim Rafael Ambrose and Hanis Firdaus Bashir clinched eighth place out of 13 contingents, amassing a total score of 246.700.
The gold medal in the team event went to the formidable six-member squad from Penang, with Johor taking silver and Sabah securing the bronze.
Sarawak head coach Yuri Basishvili highlighted the challenges his team faced, noting that other teams with six-member squads had a strategic advantage.
These teams, he said, were able to rotate their athletes across different apparatuses, maximising their scoring potential.
In contrast, the Sarawak squad, which only started training two years ago, were still building their skills from the ground up.
“It’s tougher for us because the other teams have more flexibility with six athletes. They can switch their gymnasts on each apparatus to play to their strengths, making it easier for them to score higher.
“When I first arrived to coach two years ago, we started with just three boys who had no skills whatsoever. Six months later, we added another, but it’s still not enough for this level of competition.
“We need six athletes. Despite this, they did a fantastic job,” he told New Sarawak Tribune when met after the competition which was held at Serian Conference Centre here yesterday (Aug 21).
Meanwhile, in the men’s artistic gymnastics all-around final, Joachim finished in 14th place with a score of 63.500, Nazrieez ranked 21st with 61.325 points, Hanis secured 22nd place with 61.275 points, and Aqiel came in 24th with 60.600 points.
The all-around gold medal was won by Muhammad Bariq Adif Mat Daut of Johor, followed by silver medalist Nor Adam Hazziq Nor Azman from Kelantan, and bronze medalist Wilson Wei Sin Yeoh from Penang.
Despite the challenges, Yuri who hails from Georgia remains optimistic about the future of Sarawak’s young gymnasts.
He believes that with continued hard work and support from the respective sports development officers for training camps and competitions, the team will continue to improve.
“They’re young, with bright futures ahead. They can achieve much more.
“In a few years, they’ll be even better. They’re developing, advancing every year,” he added.
