Karyn Ho Chia Yin sprained
her left ankle during training
before the SEA Games.
Picture: Infofoto

Karyn Ho Chia Yin is made of tougher stuff than most.

Spraining her left ankle during training in Brunei, she was forced to watch her teammates Faustina Woo Wai Sii and Lee YingShi from the sidelines for three weeks before coming to Jakarta for the 26th Southeast Asian (SEA) Games.

Though she was given a clean bill of health before coming to the Indonesian capital, the 16-year-old wushu exponent's debut at the Games hasn't exactly been smooth sailing.

She might not have stolen the show at the Tennis Indoor Senayan Stadium, Gelora Bung Karno Sports Complex, here, but Ho's determination to persevere has made her stand out in her own right.

"It was a bit worse today (Saturday), but I just forced myself," said Ho, who is the youngest of the Bruneian trio.

"I never felt like I wanted to quit. If you like something you want to do it.

"I'm having fun here ... gaining experience," added Ho, who with Lee, won gold in duilian (duo sparring with broadsword and spear) during August's 6th Asian Junior Wushu Championships in Shanghai, China.

Ho was last in the field of five entries in changquan (long fist) yesterday with 8.70 points, while Lee scored 9.24 points to finish fourth.

Ho will compete in qiangshu (spear) today, her last event of the Games.

She finished last in the field of four entries in jianshu (swordplay) with 9.17 on Friday, where Indonesia's Susyana Tjhan had 9.72, Myanmar's Sando Oo 9.71 and Vietnam's Thuy Vi Duong 9.70.

"Marks from the second part of the event, today's qiangshu, will be totalled to calculate the final score for the contest though a medal isn't likely because of her lay-off in training before the Games.

Though the contingent's doctor Dr Danish Zaheer admitted Ho was not "100 per cent, but gave it 100 per cent", he didn't think the pain affected her routine yesterday.

Videotaping her performance, Dr Zaheer said he didn't see a single misstep or any discomfort on Ho's part.

Dr Zaheer also said the ankle injury might have been caused by her over-training in China, but "it has definitely healed".

"The injury has nothing to do with her performance, (but) there is a recovery process going on with her," said Dr Zaheer.

"All the athletes were screened for musculoskeletal injuries before they left, so if they were injured they wouldn't have been brought here.

"Of course, when she goes back we will conduct a thorough investigation on her and give her enough rest so she can recover.

"I gave her an injection on Friday and wanted to give her another today (Saturday) but she turned it down after discussing with the coach. The painkillers would have helped her go through her routine without pain ... and execute it with perfect harmony," added Dr Zaheer, who heads the Sports Medicine and Research Centre at the Hassanal Bolkiah National Stadium in Berakas.

Courtesy from Brunei Times