Taiping Shu Wai Hopes to make Olympics
No Malaysian male gymnast has ever qualified for the Olympics. 18-year-old Ng Shu Wai from Taiping hopes to be the first to accomplish the feat for next year's Athens' Olympics.
Au Li Yen became the first national woman gymnast to represent Malaysia, when she took part in the 2000 Sydney Olympics.
Shu Wai returned from Beijing recently after a four-month training stint there. Shu Wai, who won a silver medal in the floor exercise in the 2002 Manchester Commonwealth Games said that he has improved on his techniques and have more confidence to do well in the world meet. He will be among six men and three women gymnasts down for the World Gymnastics Championships in Anaheim, United States, from Aug 16-24. He hopes to qualify for the Olympics at the Anaheim Championships. Only the top 16 gymnasts get an automatic berth to the Olympics. His brother Shu Mun together with Loke Yik Siang, Onn Kwang Tung, Ooi Wei Siang and Heng Wah Mai will represent Malaysia at the Anaheim Championships.
Taipingites wish them all the very best. Taiping Pun Boleh.