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Bryan Nickson Lomas |
Lomas breached the 500-point mark for the first time to retain his 10m platform gold medal at last November's Sea Games and last month, executed one of the most difficult dives in the sport at the World Cup in London.
The Kuching-born athlete impressed by executing a near perfect 4.1 four-and-the half somersault dive in his fourth attempt in the platform final in London. Lomas, however, was only average in his other five attempts and eventually finished eighth.
Coach Yang Zhuliang said Lomas has the potential to earn Malaysia's first Olympic medal provided he works hard.
"Lomas needs to start trying out tougher routines and master them before the Olympics. He has only perfected one difficult dive but there are several more to be mastered," said Zhuliang yesterday.
"The competition is so great at the Olympics that one cannot afford to make even one mistake. Lomas tends to lose concentration during competition and he must not do that in London."
China's world champion Qiu Bo, Russia's Victor Minibaev, Britain's Peter Waterfield and Australia's reigning Olympic champion Mathew Mitcham are among the favourites at the London Games. All have consistently posted above 530 points in competition.
Lomas also has medal-potential along with China-born naturalised Malaysian diver Huang Qiang in the platform synchro where they won a historic bronze in the World Cup despite it being only their first competition.
The national diving squad have also been given the nod to train in China for a longer period. They will train in Guangzhou and Shanghai for six weeks before they leave for London.
Malaysia will send their biggest diving squad to the Olympics, having already qualified for 10 of a maximum 12 quota spots.
They are the only Asian country other than China to have representatives in the eight-pair field of the synchro disciplines.
The China stint comes about as the facilities at the National Aquatics Centre in Bukit Jalil are not up to mark for the divers to raise their standard to compete with the world's best.
Read more: DIVING: Lomas gathering momentum for London - Other - New Straits Times http://www.nst.com.my/sports/other/diving-lomas-gathering-momentum-for-london-1.55875#ixzz1oD3fUsu3
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