Our Youngest SEA Games Athlete Won A Gold And He’s Only 9!
What were you doing when you were nine?
By Sheryll Paul — 30 Aug 2017, 01:37 PM
Malaysia's youngest SEA Games athlete, Adam Yoong, has just emerged CHAMPION in the men's waterski tricks event
At only nine-years-old, he's managed to pull off an impressive performance winning Malaysia its fourth waterski gold
He scored 3,860 points in the men's individual tricks event beating Indonesia's Dimas Ridho Suprihono (3,440 points) and Fabrianto Kadir (3,140 points) who placed second and third respectively.
What were you doing when you were nine? :O
This makes Adam the youngest gold medallist at this year's SEA Games
“I’m am so happy to win. I gave the best that I could... Thank you for all the support and I will continue to do my best in the future,” he told reporters.
Meanwhile, his sister Aaliyah Yoong scored two gold medals in the jump and tricks events
Aaliyah Yoong (centre) with her brothers Adam Yoong (right) and Aiden Yoong (left)
Image via New Straits TimesShe also won the women's overall gold on Saturday.
In the jump event, Aaliyah did 32.6m, beating Indonesia’s Rossi Amir (30.8m) and Nur Alimah Priambodo (27.6m) who each placed second and third.
“I was not the favourite to win gold for jump but I did. I’m ecstatic for being able to do the best that I could,” she said.
In the tricks event, Aaliyah scored 5,880 points for the gold, beating Singapore's Sabelle Kee (3,450 points) and Indonesia’s Nur Alimah (3,380 points).
Aaliyah also bagged a silver yesterday in the women’s slalom category.
She remains the country's youngest-ever gold medallist, having won gold at the 2011 SEA Games in Indonesia at just eight years old.
The family is clearly one that has done a lot to achieve the successes they have today
The Olympic Council of Malaysia's president Tunku Tan Sri Imran Tuanku Jaa’far praised the family for all the time and energy they've spent on their children's training.
“I just had to acknowledge and respect Adam’s parents as well who have sacrificed a lot in terms of finances, time and energy to nurture and develop their young son’s obvious talent,” he said.
Their father, Hanifah Yoong now holds the portfolio of the International Waterski and Wakeboard Federation’s (IWWF) representative for the IWWF Waterski & Wakeboard World Cup, as chairman of the Waterski & Wakeboard championship.
He is also the father of former Formula One driver, Alex Yoong.
