S'porean gymnast qualifies for Olympics in historic first

(UPDATED 11:14am)

Lim Heem Wei, a business administration student at National University of Singapore, has become the first Singaporean gymnast to qualify for the summer Olympics.

According to a post on Singapore Gymnastics website on Friday, the 22-year-old qualified for the Summer Games after doing well at an Olympics games test event in London on Thursday.

In so doing, she becomes the first gymnast from Singapore to qualify for the Summer Games, and one of only two from South-east Asia who have booked their seats for London.

Lim will be competing against 36 other gymnasts when the London Olympics run from 27 July to 12 August. 

Upon her return from London late on Friday, Lim told the Today newspaper: "The Olympics is the only meet missing from my resume, and I'm really glad to have won my place in London."

Lim has represented Singapore at five SEA Games, winning a total of three golds in the women's team event.

Krystal Khoo, Lim's teammate at the SEA Games exclaimed, "I think Lim really embodies the meaning of having a passion for what you do. She's the longest staying gymnast and having to balance between studies and training all these years is not an easy feat." 

The 18-year-old added, "To persevere and stay on in gymnastics and to reach her ultimate goal, all I can say is that she's finally done it and I couldn't be happier or more proud of her."

Lim's highest achievement was a silver medal for balance beam at the Commonwealth Games in New Delhi in 2010.

Friends of Lim on Facebook have already begun congratulating and giving her encouragement following the news that she will be competing in London.

“You are one in a million,” wrote Donna Samuel on her Facebook wall.