ALL eyes will be on Ooi Tze Liang and Wendy Ng Yan Yee in the men's 10-metre platform and women's 3m springboard individual dive-off at the World Cup in London today.
No Asian country, apart from China, has ever earned a full Olympic quota of two divers in individual disciplines but Malaysia could become the first if Tze Liang and Yan Yee achieve their respective targets.
Six of Malaysia's eight Olympic tickets have so far been earned in individual events through Bryan Nickson Lomas (10-metre platform individual and 3m springboard individual), Yeoh Ken Nee (3m springboard individual), Pandelela Rinong (10m platform individual), Traisy Vivien Tukiet (10m platform individual) and Cheong Jun Hoong (3m springboard individual).
The dive-off is a competition for divers to fight for the remaining quota Olympic spots, made available after the proceedings of each event in the World Cup.
The men's 10m platform has 11 Olympic berths available and 14 quota spots in the women's 3m springboard.
Tze Liang failed to make the top-18 semi-final bracket for an automatic Olympic spot in Friday's 10m platform preliminaries. The 19-year-old finished 33rd on 363.75 points.
Bryan reached semi-finals when he finished 17th with 423.10. The Sarawakian-born diver was due to compete in the event yesterday.
Yan Yee bombed out of the 3m springboard on Thursday, managing only 223.15 points to finish 41st.
Amateur Swimming Union of Malaysia (ASUM) secretary Edwin Chong said the squad are hoping to earn full participation in individual events for the London Olympics.
"We have a good chance provided that both Tze Liang and Yan Yee are in their element tomorrow (today). They need to cut down on their mistakes in the dive-off," said Edwin from London yesterday.
"Coach Yang (Zhuliang) is working closely with them and hopefully, they can create history for us. We are so close to achieving our target."
Cheong Jun Hoong's excellent run in the women's 3m springboard was halted in the semi-finals on Friday. She finished last in the field of 18 divers on 255.90.
China's world champion Wu Minxia led a 1-2 finish in the springboard final with 368.95 ahead of He Zi (365.40).
Italy's Tania Cagnotto returned to competition after breaking her wrist in a motorbike accident last year by taking bronze on 345.75.
Read more: DIVING: Olympics history beckons - Other - New Straits Times http://www.nst.com.my/sports/other/diving-olympics-history-beckons-1.52089#ixzz1nYH6kDZr
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