Jasmine Lai Claims Two More Gold Medals In Asian Age-Group Meet

PETALING JAYA: SEA Games-bound diver Jasmine Lai continued to serve notice of her talent as she claimed two more gold medals for Malaysia in the Asian Age-Group Aquatics Championships in Jakarta.

The 16-year-old partnered Kam Ling Kar to bag the women’s 10m platform synchro Open gold medal earlier in the day ahead of Macau pair I Teng-Cheong Pui Man.

Jasmine went on to grab a second gold medal in the girls’ 10m platform individual Group A (16-18) final ahead team-mate Ling Kar.

Jasmine finished comfortably ahead with 369.10 points while Ling Kar had the silver with 339.20 points ahead of Japan’s Yuka Kobayashi (320.15).

One more for the collection: Jasmine Lai and Kam Ling Kar bagged a gold medal in the women’s 10m platform synchro Open in Jakarta Sunday.

It was Jasmine’s first individual success in the biennial Asian age-group meet.

Jasmine-Ling Kar had also claimed gold in the women’s 3m springboard synchro Open final and the double feat will give the duo the impetus to successfully follow in the footsteps of another Ipoh-born diver Leong Mun Yee, who has made the country proud at all levels of the sport.

The duo will make their SEA Games debuts in Indonesia next month and Jasmine is happy to stamp her mark in the Asian age-group meet.

“This is the second time I won the platform individual gold medal ahead of Ling Kar. The first was at the Asia Pacific Rim Junior Invitational meet in Wellington in August.

“The Chinese divers are not competing and we are happy to be able to make our presence felt here ahead of the SEA Games.

“It is a good boost to our confidence. The coach has not informed us the events we are doing at the SEA Games but we are ready as we trained for both (springboard and platform),” said Jasmine, who are the best of friends with Ling Kar.

The Malaysian diving team have raked in a total medals haul of 5-8-1 so far with one day of competition to go.

There were also three more silver medals delivered by Loh Jiayi in the girl;s 10m platform Group B (14-15), Muhd Nazreen in boy’s 10m platform Group C (12-13) and Adrian Chan in the boy’s 10m platform Group A.

The two gold medals earlier came from Chew Yiwei in boy’s 1m springboard Group A and Wendy Ng Yan Yee in girl’s 3m springboard Open.

The Asian age-group meet attracted participation from 14 countries.

Divers Jasmine And Ling Kar Start The Gold Rush In Asian Junior Meet

PETALING JAYA: Ipoh-born schoolgirls Jasmine Lai Pui Yee and Kam Ling Kar made a perfect debut together as Malaysia enjoyed a fine splash with three gold medals in the bag at the Asian Age-Group Aquatics Championships at Jakarta.

Jasmine combined well with Ling Kar to win the girls’ 3m springboard synchro Open final with 263.61 points ahead of Vietnam (233.76) and Macau (225.15) pairings.

The triumph is a timely boost to the two 16-year-olds, who are set to represent Malaysia for the first time in the SEA Games in Indonesia next month.

Golden splash: Kam Ling Kar (bottom) and Jasmine Lai Pui Yee won the girls’ 3m springboard synchro gold iat the Asian Age-Group Aquatics Championships in Jakarta Saturday.

Jasmine-Ling Kar have also won the same discipline at the Asia Pacific Rim Junior Invitational in Wellington recently and they showed with their latest triumph that they are ready to face their first test with the senior national squad.

Another SEA Games-bound diver Wendy Ng Yan Yee also triumphed for Malaysia in the women’s 3m springboard Open final ahead of Macau’s Choi Sue Yan.

The third gold medal was won by Chew Yi Wei in the boy’s 1m springboard Group A (16-18) final.

Malaysia also earned two silver medals through Muhd Nazreen (boy’s 1m springboard Group C (12-13) and Pardika Indoma (boy’s 10m platform Open).

Wendy also earned another medal – a bronze in the girl’s 1m springboard Open final.

The Asian meet is held every two years and Malaysia are only represented by the divers this time.

Amateur Swimming Union of Malaysia (Asum) secretary Edwin Chong was happy that the back-up divers manage to keep the flag flying high for Malaysia.

“China did not sent their divers this time because they were having their inter-city championships at the same time, so our main rivals were Japan and Indonesia.

“We did not sent our senior divers like Pandelela Rinong and Bryan Nickson although they are eligible as we wanted to give the back-up divers the chance to shine.

“The Asian meet was supposed to be held in Palembang as a test event ahead of the SEA Games.

“But the venue was still not ready, so they shifted it to Jakarta at the last moment,” he said.

Diving: Youngsters Shine In Jakarta

Kam Ling Kar (left) and Jasmine Lai Pui Yee won the 3m springboard synchro open at the Asian Age-Group Aquatics Championships in Jakarta yesterday.

JASMINE Lai Pui Yee and Kam Ling Kar earned a timely boost ahead of their maiden appearance at the Indonesia Sea Games by winning the women's 3-metre springboard synchro open final at the Asian Age-Group Aquatics Championships in Jakarta yesterday.

Pui Yee-Ling Kar, who are childhood friends from Ipoh, were flawless as they combined excellently to post 263.61 points to win the event followed by Vietnam (233.76) and Macau (225.15) pairings.

The two 16-year-olds have been making a splash in diving of late and the victory in Jakarta is their second after last month's gold medal effort at the Asia Pacific Rim Junior Invitational in Wellington.

Compatriots Chew Yi Wei and Sea Games-bound Wendy Ng Yan Yee were also winners in the boys' 1m springboard Group A (16-18) and women's 3m springboard Open disciplines, respectively.
Malaysia earned two silver through Muhd Nazreen (boys' 1m springboard Group C -12-13) and Pardika Indoma (men's 10m platform Open) while Yan Yee won bronze in the women's 1m springboard open final.

Amateur Swimming Union of Malaysia (Asum) secretary Edwin Chong said the back-up divers performed well in the event.

"We did not send our top divers because we wanted our back-up squad to gain experience in this event. They have done so well here."

7th AASF Palembang 2011

5 ~ 9 October 2011
Jakarta, Indonesia

Participants :

1. Pardikar Indoma ak Pamg (Pre U Arts 2)

2. Wendy Ng Yan Yee (Defferred Pre U )

3. Chew Yiwei (4 Olympic)

4. Kam Ling Kar (4 Asian)

5. Jasmine Lai Pui Yee ( 4 Asian)

6. Loh Zhiayi (2 Commonwealth)

7. Muhd. Nazreen b. Abdullah (1 Asian)