China Stint For Malaysian Divers To Prepare For World Meet

PETALING JAYA: The target is for a Malaysian diver to stand on the podium at the World Aquatics Championships in Barcelona – but it will be a tricky challenge.

The biennial world meet will be held from July 19-Aug 4 at the Piscina Municipal de Montjuic.

The problem is that the venue consists of two outdoor pools – thus posing a bigger challenge for head coach Yang Zhuliang in preparing the divers.

“The venue is on a hilly area. While the view is great, the wind will be blowing strongly and it can be quite unnerving for divers who have no experience competing in an outdoor pool,” he said.

“They can feel the force of the wind when they stand on the 10m platform.

“In indoor competitions, you do not have to worry about anything except your dives and the competition. But diving outdoors is challenging because the wind conditions make it harder for co-ordination.

“That’s why we need to practise in outdoor pools, but there aren’t that many as most competitions are held indoors.

“We can train at the Cheras pool in Kuala Lumpur but it’s old and the facilities are not well-maintained ... so, that’s why we have to go to China.”

Zhuliang also confirmed that the divers earmarked for the world meet will compete in the United States and the Canada legs of the World Diving Grand Prix in May.

“Pandelela Rinong is going for the five legs of the Diving World Series from March to May as she is the only Malaysian who has qualified,” he said.

“We’ll send the others for the two World Diving Grand Prix meets in US and Canada. The US Grand Prix will be useful as it is an outdoor pool.

“These are the only Grand Prix meets we will be taking part in as the divers will have to attend training stints in China.

“We want to win one medal at the world meet but Pandelela is our best hope right now.

“We also want to see more divers making the individual finals.”

Pandelela, 19, made headlines when she won a bronze medal in women’s 10m platform at the London Olympics last August but has not competed since due to an ankle injury picked up in training last year.

There are 16 divers in the elite national squad, including four – Mohd Nazreen, Mohd Danial, Loh Zhiayi and Nor Dhabitah Sabri – who were promoted at the start of the year.

Malaysia won a medal at the aquatics world meet in 2009 when Pandelela and Leong Mun Yee bagged a bronze in the 10m synchro platform in Rome.