BANGKOK: Ng Joe Ee ended her competitive gymnastics career on an emotional high, clinching a bronze medal in the Individual All-Around event at the SEA Games 2025 on Tuesday night.
The 20-year-old gymnast, who shared third place with host nation Thailand after a nail-biting points tie, revealed that prolonged injuries and mounting pressure influenced her decision to retire and transition into coaching next year.
Competing at the Thammasat University Gymnasium, Joe Ee said her original target was a gold medal, but mistakes in her first routine affected that chance.
“The first apparatus routine did not go as planned, and that was the most disappointing moment for me.
“But in the next three routines, I performed better and managed to catch up on points,” she said when met after the medal ceremony.
However, her effort was enough to secure the bronze medal, with third place shared alongside host nation Thailand after their total scores were tied.
Joe Ee admitted it was not her best performance, but she was satisfied with a more stable ribbon routine compared to her overall performance this competition season.
She said excessive pressure and nervousness were the main causes of her early mistakes.
“I was too stressed and too focused on the target. I talked to myself a lot because I considered this my last appearance and had to be perfect. That was actually not good,” she said.
She added that aging and a tendency to overthink had greatly affected the consistency of her performance.
Joe Ee also confirmed her decision to retire from competitive gymnastics and move into coaching starting next year, but not with the national team.
“The retirement decision was also driven by prolonged injuries. Besides that, there was limited time to undergo physiotherapy at the Malaysian Institute of Sport due to a packed training schedule,” she explained.
Although still only 20 years old, Joe Ee stressed that her decision was made due to health factors, not age.
“My back pain has been present since the Commonwealth Games. Now my ankles, neck, upper and lower back also hurt. My body just can’t take it anymore,” she said.
She added that although some Malaysian gymnasts manage to compete until 24 or 25 years old, physical capacity differs for each athlete.
