THE national men’s artistic gymnastics squad ended a 12-year gold drought by securing two gold medals at the 2017 Kuala Lumpur Sea Games today.

Gymnasts Tan Fu Jie and Jeremiah Loo Phay Xing shared gold in the men’s individual pommel horse apparatus with identical 13.650 points while Jamorn Prommanee from Thailand with 13.250 points was awarded the bronze.

Another national gymnast, Zul Bahrin Mat Asri, clinched a surprise silver in the floor exercise with 13.750 points, while gold medallist Reyland Yuson Capellan from the Philippines received 13.950 points and Thai bronze medallist Tikumporn Surintornta had 13.600 points.

The last time Malaysia won a gold was through Ng Shu Wai in the all around and horizontal bar apparatus, as well as by his team in the team event of the 2005 Manila Sea Games.

In the 2015 Singapore Sea Games, only Jeremiah managed a silver medal through the men’s individual horizontal bar.

Meanwhile, the women’s team clinched the gold through Tan Ing Yueh in the individual vault with 13.400 points, beating Rifda Irfanaluthfi from Indonesia (13.288 points) and Malaysian Tracie Ang with 12.725 points respectively.

Tracie Ang also clinched a silver in the uneven bars with 12.550 points while gold medallist Kaitlin Cera Lianne De La Cruz De Guzman from the Philippines managed 12.875 points and Rifda settled for the bronze with 12.075 points.

The Malaysian team has thus far won three gold, two silver and one bronze medal from artistic events.

Fu Jie when met by reporters after the prize presentation said he never expected to win a gold medal in his first Sea Games appearance.

“It was a huge surprise for me. I didn’t expect we could end up in a tie for the gold medal… I would like to dedicate this medal to my family who have supported me well,” he said.

Coach Ng Shu Liang said it was a good performance by his boys and was much better than what they did at the team event two days ago (August 20), where they won a silver.

“I could see that the boys were more confident today,” he said.

The national artistic gymnastics squad will compete for five more gold medals in the men’s and women’s apparatus final at the Malaysian International Trade and Exhibition Centre tomorrow (August 23). – Bernama, August 22, 2017.