Diving / Asia Cup: Unexpected Day For Yeoh

Yeoh Ken Nee won the 3m springboard individual in Bukit Jalil yesterday. — Picture by Fariz Iswadi Ismail

YEOH Ken Nee will have to postpone his retirement plans.

Yesterday, the veteran diver earned an Olympic spot after clinching gold in the men's 3-metre springboard individual at the Diving Asia Cup in Bukit Jalil.

Ken Nee led from start to finish against a weakened field in the absence of China's divers, with a combined seven-round total of 456.55 points, ahead of compatriot Ooi Tze Liang (387.50) and Singapore's Timothy Lee (310.10).

The 28-year-old is the third local diver to qualify for the 2012 Olympics after Bryan Nickson Lomas (men's 3m springboard) and Pandelela Rinong (women's 10m platform) who both earned qualification at the World Aquatic Championships in July.
Ken Nee will be making only his second Olympic appearance in London after Sydney 2000 in the springboard and 10m platform.

China's world junior champion He Chao, Chi Kai and Qin Tin, along with Singapore's Mark Lee, withdrew from the springboard event in the Asia Cup. According to Amateur Swimming Union of Malaysia (Asum) secretary Edwin Chong, the China team withdrew their three divers upon arriving in Kuala Lumpur last week.

"It looks like I will have to postpone my retirement plans until after the London Olympics. I am happy but I need to avoid getting injured as my age recovery is tough," said Ken Nee, a silver medallist at last year's Guangzhou Asian Games.

"I am satisfied with my dives but I could have done better in the fifth round. I knew I had a chance after the withdrawal of China."

Malaysia's Tze Liang-Pardika Indoma Pamg upset the form book by edging China's Wand Anqi-Li Di for the men's 10m platform synchro title.

Tze Liang-Pardika amassed 374.34 points to overcome the China pair by 2.64 points while Indonesia's Mohd Nasrullah-Lufti Nice Abdullah finished third with a 341.04 total.

Pardika was pleased as Tze Liang and he had been practising together for only three weeks prior to the tournament.

"It is our first competition and we won. We were only expecting silver behind China but we surprised everyone by doing better than them," said Pardika.

Only the winners of the men's and women's 3m springboard and 10m platform individual disciplines earn Olympic spots.

Leong Mun Yee will do battle with China's former world meet bronze medallist Kang Li , Sheng Yi and compatriot Traisy Vivien for an Olympic spot in the women's platform today.

Other events are the men's and women's 3m springboard synchro and men's 1m springboard.

RESULTS (Malaysia unless stated) -- Men's 3m springboard: 1 Yeoh Ken Nee 456.55 points, 2 Ooi Tze Liang 387.50, 3 Timothy Lee (Sin) 310.10.


10m platform synchro: 1 Ooi Tze Liang-Pardika Indoma Pamg 374.34, 2 Wang Anqi-Li Di (Chn) 371.70, 3 Mohd Nasrullah-Lufti Nice Abdullah (Ina) 341.04.
Women's 1m springboard: 1 Wang Liting (Chn) 306.40, 2 Li Ting (Chn) 274.60, 3 Cheong Jun Hoong 265.35.
10m platform synchro: 1 Kang Li-Sheng Yi (Chn) 317.88, 2 Kam Ling Kar-Jasmine Lai Pui Yee 261.34.

Read more: Diving / Asia Cup: Unexpected day for Yeoh http://www.nst.com.my/nst/articles/40LOMA/Article#ixzz1Z1u25Ssb