Humans of Macleans: Alysa Lin

Alysa Lin is an extremely hard-working Year 10 Batten student who has fully dug into the immense extracurricular scene here at Macleans College. She is quite involved within her own house, participating in Batten Junior dodgeball, speedball, and football, along with being a house tutor. Alysa is also part of GymSports, and the A group in Volleyball girls. She also participates in other clubs such as UNICEF, Amnesty, and Connections club. Alysa details her experience going to Singapore, competing in an International Gymnastics Competition.

Brief description of Singapore:

Singapore itself was beautiful. The architecture was detailed and refined, the buildings towered over the land. Once I stepped out of the infamous Changi airport; where 2 others I watched the Jewel waterfall I immediately experienced the true Singaporean weather. As much as Singapore’s greatness can be, it was humid and damp everyday. After the first two days after arriving in Singapore, I had somewhat gotten used to the sticky weather. For the majority of the time spent prior to competition, we rested at the River Valley Fraser Suits- where we explored around the hotel. The hotel had table tennis, a spa, a pool, and also a kids arcade room. The arcade room in particular was really cool, it had old Japanese simulation games and also some classics. The breakfast buffet was delectable, there was a cereal, pastry, salad section and then dishes that would change each day. I trained for 3 days before my competition at a venue inside of a mall adjacent to Orchard Road. Training felt strange as my coaches weren’t with me and the Canterbury coaches were there instead.

Brief description of Singapore opens as a competition:

Held in Bishan Sports Hall, Singapore Opens 2024 took place from 24th May until 2 June. Singapore Open is an annual gymnastics competition; consisting of many countries over the world. These countries include Singapore, Japan, Malaysia, Taiwan, Thailand, Hong Kong, Australia, New Zealand, Philippines and more. The competition is divided into different spaces for WAG (Women’s Artistic Gymnastics), MAG (Men’s Artistic Gymnastics), RG (Rhythmic Gymnastics), TRA (Trampolining). Although it is only a regional qualifying competition for Singaporeans, it is an international tour competition for all other countries.

How did you begin to pick up gymnastics?

For as long as I can remember I’ve always done some form of gymnastics. I started doing baby gymnastics when I was two years old, however I took a year break and rejoined after. Since rejoining in 2014, I have continuously done gymnastics. To be fairly honest, I only started competing in Rhythmic Gymnastics because of my sister; Olivia Lin (Batten, 2023). I started to compete when I was around 5 years old in level 1 and now am in level 8. In the 10 years I have been competing, I have competed at 3 Nationals (this year being my fourth). Furthermore, in COVID times, I have also competed in an online competition.

How did you get into the team you competed for?

In early March, an international trial was held in Christchurch; this was for 2 age groups: 13-16 and also 16+. Trials were like a normal competition, warm up 1 1/2 hrs before the competition, floor warm up and then compete. All the gymnasts were from my level. However, the competition was very quick for me as there were very few under 16 gymnasts. This is because most people turn 16 or older when they get to a level where you can compete overseas. You can only compete overseas once you reach level 8 and over/ Junior international and up. This is because each level has a different level of difficulty, in junior levels (1-4), gymnasts either have 3 or less routines. Their routines are more restricted and have limits of elements, this is the same for all levels until level 10, however the limits get progressively less restricted. From level 5-7, gymnasts also have 3 routines; but are able to compete at Nationals if qualified. From level 8+, gymnasts have 4 routines which are the same as FIG. FIG apparatus are hoop, ball, clubs and ribbon. In junior levels and stages, there is also freehand and in some, rope as well. Nevertheless, rope and freehand are not FIG (International Federation of Gymnastics).

How did you feel competing during the actual competition?

During the Singapore Opens competition, I think I was very calm; no nerves or anything. However, I don’t really get nervous for competition anymore because at some point over these 10 years I have realised it’s not that deep. If you don’t do well at one competition, it doesn’t mean that all your work has gone to waste, it means that you didn’t do well at this ONE competition.

All the gymnasts were really sweet and friendly. At the competition, I met some gymnasts from southeast Asia; some from Malaysia, Singapore, and also Thailand. Something I found interesting about the way Singapore’s Rhythmic competitions ran was that it was all in age groups. In New Zealand, the way categories are divided is through skill level- so some of the people in my level are 4 years older than me, and some are around a year younger than me.  The competition flew by so quickly and before I knew it, I’d finished. I placed 7th overall with two apparatus medals in ball and clubs.