By HO LEE CHING http://www.sports247.my/2012/12/diving-makes-a-splash/
Pandelela Rinong’s journey to the Olympics is well known. It is one full of sacrifices in her single-mindedness to be among the best in aquatics.
Pandelela became the first Malaysia woman to win an Olympic medal. In her dive, she brought to surface bountiful inspiration for others to excel. It is all about hard work and passion, loving what she does.
Together with other members of the national diving team – Leong Mun Yee, Cheong Jun Hoong, Wendy Ng Yan Yee, Traisy Vivien Tukiet, Yeoh Ken Nee, Huang Qiang and Bryan Nickson Lomas – took aquatics to greater heights.
Under the coaching of Chinia’s Yang Zhuliang, who came back in 2009, the sport has now grown to be more conventional compared to the previous years.
The diving team got off a decent start in 2012 with Huang Qiang and Bryan winning the 3m men’s synchronised springboard in both the FINA Grand Prix Fort Lauderdale, US, and FINA Grand Prix Montreal, Canada in May. Pandelela also won the 10m women’s platform in the Montreal leg.
Following the satisfactory performance, eight divers qualified for the 2012 London Olympics in August. Ken Nee became the first Malaysian to qualify for the final of an individual event in diving (3m springboard) before Pandelela went on to win bronze in the 10m women’s platform. The 19-year-old won Malaysia’s first Olympic medal in a sport other than badminton.
The national back-up and the junior diving team powered to six gold, four silver and two bronze medals in the South-East Asia (SEA) Swimming Championships in June, and two silver and three bronze medals in the Asian Swimming Championships in Dubai last November. Among the promising juniors are Nur Dhabitah Sabri, 13, Loh Zhiayi, 15, Jasmine Lai Pui Yee, 16, Kam Ling Kar, 16, and Chew YiWei, 17.
With the achievements throughout the year, diving has become the number one aquatic sport as swimming, water polo and synchronised swimming struggle to match up.
Olympian swimmer Khoo Cai Lin finished sixth in her heats and did not qualify for the final of the 800m freestyle in the 2012 London Olympics. Yet, her 8:51.18 time qualified her for the World Championships in Dubai next year.
In the Asian Swimming Championship in Dubai last November, she booked her second ticket to the World Championships in Dubai after finishing fourth in the 400m freestyle. SEA Games gold medallist Kevin Yeap Soon Choy will join her in Dubai after he swam to fourth spot in the 400m freestyle and fifth in the 1,500m freestyle in the Asian Swimming Championships in Dubai in November.
The synchronised swimming team proved to be too good in the region when they swept all five gold medals during the SEA Games in Palembang, Indonesia last year. This year, 22-year-old Katrina Ann Abdul Hadi and the Lee sisters – Zylane and Zyanne – swept four titles in the Southeast Asian Championships in Singapore in July.
While swimming and synchronised swimming have showed their strength in the region, it is time for them to take a step forward if they want to embed their names at world level.
Water polo, on the other hand, is still fighting to stay afloat after their bronze medal in the 2005 SEA Games in Philippines and a bronze medal from the women’s team after Thailand pulled out in the 2011 SEA Games in Indonesia.
Malaysia needs to consider and invest in proper facilities, management and programmes at the both national and grassroots level to further develop the sport. At the moment, there is no proper centralised training and national coach.
All in all, the Malaysian aquatics scene has taken on quite a high profile throughout the year, attracting attention and awareness among Malaysians.
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| THERE is gold in bronze if Malaysia is to learn from aquatics. |
Pandelela Rinong’s journey to the Olympics is well known. It is one full of sacrifices in her single-mindedness to be among the best in aquatics.
Pandelela became the first Malaysia woman to win an Olympic medal. In her dive, she brought to surface bountiful inspiration for others to excel. It is all about hard work and passion, loving what she does.
Together with other members of the national diving team – Leong Mun Yee, Cheong Jun Hoong, Wendy Ng Yan Yee, Traisy Vivien Tukiet, Yeoh Ken Nee, Huang Qiang and Bryan Nickson Lomas – took aquatics to greater heights.
Under the coaching of Chinia’s Yang Zhuliang, who came back in 2009, the sport has now grown to be more conventional compared to the previous years.
The diving team got off a decent start in 2012 with Huang Qiang and Bryan winning the 3m men’s synchronised springboard in both the FINA Grand Prix Fort Lauderdale, US, and FINA Grand Prix Montreal, Canada in May. Pandelela also won the 10m women’s platform in the Montreal leg.
Following the satisfactory performance, eight divers qualified for the 2012 London Olympics in August. Ken Nee became the first Malaysian to qualify for the final of an individual event in diving (3m springboard) before Pandelela went on to win bronze in the 10m women’s platform. The 19-year-old won Malaysia’s first Olympic medal in a sport other than badminton.
The national back-up and the junior diving team powered to six gold, four silver and two bronze medals in the South-East Asia (SEA) Swimming Championships in June, and two silver and three bronze medals in the Asian Swimming Championships in Dubai last November. Among the promising juniors are Nur Dhabitah Sabri, 13, Loh Zhiayi, 15, Jasmine Lai Pui Yee, 16, Kam Ling Kar, 16, and Chew YiWei, 17.
With the achievements throughout the year, diving has become the number one aquatic sport as swimming, water polo and synchronised swimming struggle to match up.
Olympian swimmer Khoo Cai Lin finished sixth in her heats and did not qualify for the final of the 800m freestyle in the 2012 London Olympics. Yet, her 8:51.18 time qualified her for the World Championships in Dubai next year.
In the Asian Swimming Championship in Dubai last November, she booked her second ticket to the World Championships in Dubai after finishing fourth in the 400m freestyle. SEA Games gold medallist Kevin Yeap Soon Choy will join her in Dubai after he swam to fourth spot in the 400m freestyle and fifth in the 1,500m freestyle in the Asian Swimming Championships in Dubai in November.
The synchronised swimming team proved to be too good in the region when they swept all five gold medals during the SEA Games in Palembang, Indonesia last year. This year, 22-year-old Katrina Ann Abdul Hadi and the Lee sisters – Zylane and Zyanne – swept four titles in the Southeast Asian Championships in Singapore in July.
While swimming and synchronised swimming have showed their strength in the region, it is time for them to take a step forward if they want to embed their names at world level.
Water polo, on the other hand, is still fighting to stay afloat after their bronze medal in the 2005 SEA Games in Philippines and a bronze medal from the women’s team after Thailand pulled out in the 2011 SEA Games in Indonesia.
Malaysia needs to consider and invest in proper facilities, management and programmes at the both national and grassroots level to further develop the sport. At the moment, there is no proper centralised training and national coach.
All in all, the Malaysian aquatics scene has taken on quite a high profile throughout the year, attracting attention and awareness among Malaysians.
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