CHEONG Jun Hoong continued Malaysia's fine run in the World Cup by sealing a quota Olympic ticket in the women's 3-metre springboard individual in London on Thursday.
The 22-year-old displayed good dives to post a 324.30 total to finish seventh in a field of 47 divers.
The top-18 divers each earned an Olympic berth.
Compatriot Wendy Ng Yan Yee finished 41st on 223.15 but the youngster has another chance of making the Olympic cut at tomorrow's dive-off competition.
Jun Hoong is the seventh local diver to qualify for the London Olympic Games and as it stands, Malaysia have earned qualification in eight events.
It was a personal victory for Jun Hoong, who once battled back from a career threatening back injury which kept her out of the 2006 Doha Asian Games.
Amateur Swimming Union of Malaysia (ASUM) secretary Edwin Chong said Jun Hoong was determined to emerge from the shadows of her more experienced peers.
"Her scores yesterday (Thursday) were better than her winning score at last year's Indonesia Sea Games.
"She and Wendy were on the same routine but the latter executed one dive badly," said Edwin when contacted in London.
"Jun Hoong was steady in all five rounds and kept pace with the front runners.
"Her score is good enough to make the final of the event at the London Olympics."
China's Wu Minxia topped the preliminaries with a 376.55 total followed by compatriot He Zi (365.25) and Italy's Tania Cagnotto (344.25).
Jun Hoong was due to compete in the semi-finals late yesterday.
Malaysia's pairing of Pandika Idoma and Abdul Rashid Mohd finished last in the men's 10m platform synchro preliminaries. The junior pair posted 339.63.
Bryan Nickson Lomas and Ooi Tze Liang were due to compete in the men's 10m platform individual.
Read more: DIVING: Jun Hoong joins the big league - Other - New Straits Times http://www.nst.com.my/sports/other/diving-jun-hoong-joins-the-big-league-1.51693#ixzz1nN1H8DOl
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