Rhythms of Home Excite Gymnasts

Mikayla among 4 local teens taking part in the May 16-18 Asian C'ships at OCBC Arena

- Kimberly Kwek

From an early age, Mikayla Yang knew she wanted to pursue sport at a high level. In a bid to further her gymnastics career, at 12, the Singaporean made the bold decision to relocate to the United States.

The move meant being away from the comforts of home, but she was confident the US would provide a more conducive environment for her to develop as an athlete.

Since then, the 17-year-old spends about nine months a year in Chicago with her father, and returns to Singapore three to four times annually to visit family and friends.

She said: "Leaving family and friends was a bit difficult, but we just did it to help my career because the US has a more competitive side for rhythmic gymnastics and it's also easier to go for many competitions there.

"There's also more support being an athlete and school, so it was easier to manage both of them and be able to train longer for more hours."

Over time, she built a community there, which helped make the transition smoother.

Mikayla now attends school online, which allows her to train twice a day without compromising her studies.