Twins in 1-2 finish in gymnastics

They were born just a minute apart. Yesterday, twins Phebe Meredith Lau and Michele Petrova Lau both shone at the Schools National Rhythmic Gymnastics Championships at Bishan Sports Hall yesterday.

The 14-year-old Singapore Sports School (SSP) students took first and second spots in the C Division individual all-around competition, with younger sister Phebe clinching the top honour.

Both were eligible to take part last year, but Michele pulled out with high fever.

Yesterday, she was also carrying a slight injury, and did not expect to do well.

She said: "The second-place result was unexpected, as I was injured and didn't think that I would perform as well."

Both Phebe and Michele denied that there was any sibling rivalry, insisting that they were "happy for each other, even though it can be sometimes stressful when we train together".

In the A Division competition, SEA Games-bound gymnast Tong Kah Mun, 17, proved her class by sweeping all titles despite suffering from an Achilles tendon sprain.

Though the Nanyang Junior College student initially dropped her hoop apparatus twice in her first performance, she was not disheartened.

She said: "I think being anxious will adversely affect my performance. Hence, I chose not to dwell on it and instead focus on my remaining events."

Asked about her goals for her debut regional Games, she replied cheerfully: "I hope to do a well-executed routine on all my four apparatus."

In the B Division, Lyn Yeo, 15, clinched first place as well in all her individual apparatus events. Her older brother Sean had won the individual all-around crown in last week's artistic gymnastics national championships.

chongcjy@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on April 18, 2015.
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