Sukma: A visit to watch rhythmic gymnastics at the 1998 Commonwealth Games (KL98) here with her parents was all it took for Clarissa Lee to fall in love with the grace and artistry of the sport. Nearly three decades on, that childhood fascination remains firmly etched in her heart, with Clarissa now channelling the same passion into nurturing young talents and ensuring the sport continues to flourish.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, the former gymnast, who is serving as Federal Territories team manager at the Malaysia Games (SUKMA) for the third consecutive edition, said the memories of watching rhythmic gymnastics at Kuala Lumpur 1998 remain a major influence behind her continued involvement in the sport. Clarissa shared her enduring passion, saying, "The passion for rhythmic gymnastics, definitely because I was once also a gymnast and I understand for the love of rhythmic gymnastics is not everyone will have, but once you love it, you will always go forward."

Clarissa reflected on her formative experience: "My first love when I saw rhythmic gymnastics was back in 1998 where Malaysia hosted the Commonwealth Games. I personally went to the stadium with my parents, and this is very nostalgic, the feel of it. It's overwhelming for me. So, with that feeling, it brings me up to where I am today," she said. She made these remarks during the final day of the Malaysia Games (SUKMA) 2026 rhythmic gymnastics competition at Dewan Canselor Tun Abdul Razak, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) in Bangi, where Federal Territories emerged as overall champions.

Despite her own competitive journey being cut short by factors such as injuries, Clarissa's passion never faded. She is determined to develop young rhythmic gymnasts capable of reaching higher levels. As a physical education teacher at Sekolah Kebangsaan Convent (1) Bukit Nanas and the Talent Search Technical Chairperson, she emphasized the importance of early talent identification in the sport.

Clarissa expressed her ambitions: "Because this sport, you need to start early. Without an early start, it's very hard when they are growing older." She hopes to find more talent for the sport and emphasized the need for improvements in organizing rhythmic gymnastics at future SUKMA editions, particularly regarding venue suitability and training facilities.

Ceiling height and sufficient training carpets are crucial aspects, she noted. "My personal view is that if it's possible, we get a better venue where height is very important for this game, a venue where we have very high ceiling height and if possible, also we can cater more carpets for training carpets," she said, underlining the importance of continuous practice for gymnasts.

Clarissa acknowledged the efforts of the Federal Territories team, which had narrowly missed another gold medal. Despite the challenges, the gymnasts trained hard throughout their preparations, a testament to their dedication and passion for the sport. At the previous edition in Sarawak, Federal Territories claimed all six rhythmic gymnastics gold medals, while this year's Games featured three gold medal events.