Farah Ann

The 26-year-old looks after her body and mind through a healthy training routine and keeping positive.

Farah Ann will be competing in the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020

People resonate with gymnastics because of the beauty of the sport. It is a very difficult physical activity; one that allows me to be pushed to my limit, be agile, flexible, and strong at the same time, while constantly looking elegant and graceful. This sport makes me feel good about myself as I have to take care of my physique and health to let the art of gymnastics flow better through my body.

The sports industry is an inclusive one where we are judged based on our capabilities rather than gender. Men and women alike have to look after themselves in order to let their talents shine through hence why I love sports. As a female athlete, it’s great to show that I am very good and professional in the sport I chose, and make a career out of it.

Being a gymnast in Malaysia helps open up a dialogue of women in sports, in some say, a masculine world. I’m very happy to be a part of it among inspiring women such as Pandelela Rinong and Datuk Nicol David, who are both strong and believe in their goals and dreams. It is all about equality and inclusivity in sports where we want to be successful for the country we represent.

In our society, there has always been a certain expectation for women to be beautiful and the standards we need to hit before being considered a creature of elegance. This is an unhealthy approach because what we should really think about is what is inside. Beauty is after all, skin deep, and when we are healthy, we will start loving ourselves. It’s just as the saying goes: you are what you eat, and being healthy will encourage us to think clearer and have us do what we are most passionate about. This will then be translated into our happiness, something which makes us all beautiful. It is time to achieve things for ourselves!

My body is a temple, and is the machine that helps me live my life to the nth degree. In this regard, if I sleep right and eat healthy, that makes me feel wonderful because I know my body can work in its full capacity, and I love taking care of it. This is what we, as women, need to think about—not our weight, what we put on our face, or what others feel about us. Superficiality can only take us so far, and instead, we need to think about how we feel inside, so it will radiate on the outside, naturally. This understanding will make women feel more confident. Ultimately, every woman is beautiful to me.