Wendy is set to join Cheong Jun Hoong in making her maiden Olympic appearance in the women’s 3m springboard individual discipline after finishing fourth with 283.60 points out of 25 participants in the dive-off on Sunday.
The dive-off was to decide the additional quota spots still open to make up a 34-diver field and Wendy is assured of a place with her top-five finish.
Jun Hoong made the first round of qualification after reaching the top 18 semi-finals in the discipline at the World Cup meet three days ago.
It is the 10th quota spot earned out of a possible 12 and Malaysia look set to bring the biggest ever diving squad to the Games.
Ooi Tze Liang could win another spot for the country in the men’s 10m platform individual after placing 12th with 374.25 points in the dive-off.
Tze Liang will have to wait until early next month when FINA, the governing body for aquatics, come out with the confirmed list of qualifiers, to see whether he gets to realise his Olympic dream.
Malaysia have already earned a quota spot in the men’s 10m platform through Bryan Nickson Lomas at the Asian Cup in Kuala Lumpur last year.
Amateur Swimming Union of Malaysia secretary Edwin Chong said Wendy has sealed her place for the Olympics but is unsure about Tze Liang’s position as he was out of the top 10.
“Some countries have also earned quota spots for both men’s platform individual and synchro. We have to wait and see whether these countries want to field the same divers for both events.
“If they are fielding different divers, there is a better chance for Tze Liang to get in but it’s best we wait until FINA come out with the full list of qualifiers next month.
“At the moment, we already have the maximum quota spots in three individual disciplines – men 3m springboard (Bryan Nickson Lomas and Yeoh Ken Nee), women 3m springboard and women 10m platform (Pandelela Rinong and Traisy Vivien Tukiet).
“It’s a big achievement for Malaysia as we qualify for three out of the four synchro events at the Olympics for the first time,” he said.
Malaysia join powerhouse China as the only two Asian countries to be represented in the synchro events at the Olympics. Only eight pairs make the cut for a synchro discipline.
Huang Qiang-Bryan made diving history for Malaysia by taking bronze en route to winning a ticket in the men’s 3m springboard synchro on the first day of competition.
Pandelela partnered Leong Mun Yee to qualify for the women’s 10m platform synchro and also rose to the occasion with Jun Hoong in the 3m springboard synchro.
Malaysia had the biggest representation of four divers back in Sydney in 2000, which was also the first time the country competed in Olympic diving.
The National Sports Council will have a reception to welcome back the diving squad from London at KLIA in Sepang tonight.
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