Zhiayi was head and shoulders above her rivals at the Wisma Belia Aquatic Complex in Kuantan, recording a total score of 277.35 to grab gold from Jasmine Lai of Perak, who managed 229.85. Zhiayi's teammate Nur Dhabitah Sabri finished third on 216.15.Zhiayi, 15, said she was delighted with the victory, her first Malaysia Games gold medal in what is already her third appearance at the Games.
"I am really happy to have won my first Malaysia Games gold medal today (yesterday). I have been diving since I was nine years old and it really makes all the hard work I had put in training worthwhile," said the Bukit Jalil Sports School student, who had earlier taken silver in the 1m springboard and platform synchronised events.
"I still have another two events to go and hope to continue my good form and win more medals for my team."
Zhiayi, who trains six days a week at the National Sports Complex in Bukit Jalil, said she hoped the win is only the start of more victories to come, especially at international level.
"At the moment, I would rate this and my four-gold medals at the Asia Pacific Rim Junior Diving Invitational in New Zealand last year as my proudest achievements to date."
Meanwhile, the men's 3m springboard synchronised event saw Selangor duo Chew Yiwei-Ahmad Fakhri Khairuddin sign off with a gold medal in their last appearance as a pair.
Ahmad Fakhri, a former national diver, has decided to quit competitive diving to focus on coaching juniors at state level after the Games.
The duo managed a total score of 332.16 to defend the gold medal they won in Malacca in 2010. Sarawak's Pardika Indoma-Abdul Rashid Muhammad on 321.42 took silver while Perak's Adrian Chan-Muhammad Syafiq Puteh took bronze with a 319.20 score.
Read more: DIVING: Zhiayi finally gets her overdue glitter - Other - New Straits Times http://www.nst.com.my/sports/other/diving-zhiayi-finally-gets-her-overdue-glitter-1.105825#ixzz20lJYcsXT
No comments:
Post a Comment