KUALA LUMPUR: Ng Joe Ee pranced her way into the imagination of Malaysian gymnastic fans with her two-gold show at the Birmingham Commonwealth Games last year.
And for the Asian Games in Hangzhou, it is inevitable there are expectations on the 17-year-old rhythmic gymnast.
Despite Joe Ee's stellar show in Birmingham, the Malaysian Gymnastics Federation (MGF) admitted that the Asian Games standards for gymnastic are much higher than the Commonwealth's.
So, MGF has set a "non-medal target" for Joe Ee and artistic gymnast Sharul Aimy. Their missions are to reach the Asian Games final.
"The Asian Games have some of the strongest countries in gymnastics. Its level is higher than the Commonwealth Games," said MGF vice president Petrina Low.
However, Petrina felt that Joe Ee, who is also the 2022 National Sportswomen of the Year, is capable of springing a surprise in the Asian Games.
"Joe Ee needs to be consistent in all the four routines: hoop, ball, clubs and ribbon. If any apparatus drops, it carries a heavy penalty (points)," said Petrina.
"She needs to be mindful of her apparatus and body techniques."
Joe Ee will have the experience of having competed in the Asian Championships in Manila in May and the World Championships in Valencia last month.
Joe Ee, who won an individual all-around silver in the 2021 Vietnam Sea Games, finished 12th in the Asian Championships four months ago.
At the 2018 Jakarta Asian Games, artistic gymnast Loo Phay Xing ranked 14th in the all-around category while the Malaysian men's team finished 10th.
In the women's category, Farah Ann Abdul Hadi was fifth in the uneven bars while Tan Ing Yueh was sixth in the floor exercise. The team came in sixth in the all-around event.
In rhythmic gymnastics, Malaysia were placed seventh in the team all-around event. Only Izzah Amzan (10th) and Sie Yan Koi (12th) got a ranking.
Meanwhile, artistic gymnast Sharul hopes to shake off a niggling ankle injury and produce a smooth show in Hangzhou.
"I still have this injury at the back of my ankle on and off. It's just slightly uncomfortable when I run and try to stick my landing," he said.
The 22-year-old is haunted by a hamstring injury suffered a week before the Phnom Penh Sea Games in May. He had targeted a gold medal in the vault but ended up fourth and got a bronze in the pommel horse.
A newcomer to the Asian Games, he hopes to qualify for the final in Hangzhou.
"After the Sea Games ended, I started preparing with a higher level of difficulty in the vault event."
Sharul is set to compete in six events: vault, floor exercise, pommel horse, still rings, parallel bars and horizontal bar.
"My target is to qualify for the final first, after which I will aim for a medal," he said.
Joe Ee and Sharul will compete in the Asian Games under Category B, which means they bear their own expenses, and will be reimbursed if they win a medal.