Diver Zhiayi Qualifies For Youth Olympics

Filepic of Loh Zhiayi. She qualified for the Youth Olympics in August after finishing 7th at the qualifying tournament in Mexico over the weekend.

PETALING JAYA: Loh Zhiayi failed to secure a medal but managed to secure Malaysia a berth at the Youth Olympics in Nanjing, China, in August.

In the Youth Olympic qualifiers for diving in Guadalajara, Mexico, over the weekend, Zhiayi finished seventh in the girls’ platform final.

She was in contention for a medal as she was placed third with two dives to go. But the Asian Youth Games silver medallist failed to score well enough in her last two dives, chalking only 48.00 and 62.40 attempts for a 402.80 total.

Huang Xiaohui of China won with 487.95 points. Mexican Alejandra Orozco, who bagged the silver in the 10m platform synchro at the 2012 London Olympics, took the silver with 480.35 points. Ingrid Oliveira of Brazil finished third with a 411.55 total.

But the goods news was that the 16-year-old Zhiayi ensured Malaysia a representative in diving for the second consecutive time at the Youth Olympics. All the top nine divers are automatic qualifiers for the Nanjing competition.

Malaysia coach Yang Zhuliang was pleased Zhiayi did everything in the book to earn Malaysia the quota spot.

“Zhiayi used the same difficulty level as when she competed at the Asian Youth Games in Nanjing last year.

“She did well to make the final and finish in the top nine to qualify for the Youth Olympics.

“It was her only chance as she would not be eligible in four years’ time,” said Zhuliang.

Mohd Nazreen, however, failed in his bid to earn a quota spot for Malaysia in the boys’ 3m springboard.

Nazreen, a two-gold medallist in his SEA Games debut in Myanmar last December, finished 13th in the preliminaries with 466.55 points.

Rodrigo Diego Lopez earned cheers for hosts Mexico by winning with a 630.75 total

For the record, Pandelela Rinong made history for Malaysia when she captured two silvers in the girls’ 3m springboard and 10m platform at the inaugural Youth Olympics in Singapore in 2010.

Diver Tops 10m Platform Event In Youth Olympic Qualifiers

Diving gem: Pandelela Rinong is fancied to win a medal in the Youth Olympics.

By LIM TEIK HUAT

PETALING JAYA: Sarawakian Pandelela Rinong made the country proud after pulling off a stunning performance to win the girls’ 10m platform diving event in the Youth Olympic Games qualifiers in Guadalajara, Mexico, on Friday.

Malaysia will have a second representative for the inaugural Games to be held in Singapore from Aug 14-26 after Ooi Tze Liang made the cut with a sixth-place finish in the boy’s 3m springboard event.

Pandelela was placed third behind China’s Yu Zhou and Canadian Pamela Ware at the end of the preliminaries but put herself into gold medal contention in the final.
The Chinese diver was plagued by inconsistency and Pandelela went on to finish on top of a 12-diver field on 440.95 points.

Ware took silver for Canada on 401.60 while Annika Lenz of the United States relegated Yu Zhou to fourth place with a score of 381.15.

Tze Liang posted a 501.35 in the boy’s 3m springboard competition won by China’s Qiu Bo on 578.15.

The two-day event was to pick nine divers as automatic qualifiers in four individual disciplines.
The girls’ 3m springboard and boys’ 10m platform were to wrap up the Games qualifiers for the diving competition for those between the ages of 16 and 17-years-old.

The latest efforts of the 17-year-old Pandelela confirmed her status as the latest diving gem from Sarawak after ruling the platform disciplines at the Laos SEA Games last December.
Pandelela, who hails from Kampung Jugan in Bau, which is about 30km from Kuching, won the 10m platform individual and synchronised events in Vientiane as the Malaysian diving squad brought home a total of six gold medals.

She was roped into the national diving squad three years ago and stamped her mark in her World Championships debut in Rome last year, taking fifth place in the 10m platform event.
Pandelela went on to create history in the synchronised event with Leong Mun Yee, bagging the bronze for the country’s first-ever world championship medal in aquatics.

The Amateur Swimming Union of Malaysia secretary, Edwin Chong, is happy that the country will have the maximum of two representatives in diving at the Youth Olympics.

“Pandalela used the same difficulties from the SEA Games but we did not expect her to win the 10m platform event because the field of divers were strong,” said Edwin yesterday.

“She has been dividing her time between studies and training due to her SPM exams later this year.

“It now looks like she has a very good chance to win a medal in the Youth Olympics.”

Pandelela Qualifies For Two Events In Youth Olympic Games

Double joy: Pandelela Rinong picked up the silver in the 3m springboard on Saturday to add to the 10m platform gold the previous day.

SAKHIR: Teenager Pandelela Ri­­nong completed her campaign in the Youth Olympic Games (YOG) diving qualifiers in style, grabbing the silver medal for Malaysia in the girls’ 3m springboard in Guada­la­jara, Mexico, on Saturday.

The 17-year-old Sarawakian thus became the first Malaysian athlete to qualify for two individual disciplines at the inaugural Games, which will be held in Singapore from Aug 14-26.

Pandelela made a big splash when she won the 10m platform the previous day to confirm her place as the Malaysian female representative for the Games.

She completed her impressive show by assuring herself a place in the 3m springboard competition as well after making it to the final as the third best qualifier.

In the final, Pandelela posted 453.65 to pip Canadian Pamela Ware, who managed 447.75, to the silver. China’s Liu Jiao won the event on 487.10.


Double joy: Pandelela Rinong picked up the silver in the 3m springboard on Saturday to add to the 10m platform gold the previous day.

Another Malaysian diver, Ooi Tze Liang, failed to qualify for a second event when he was placed 12th in the boys’ 10m platform preliminaries on Saturday.

China’s Zhang Yanquan won the high board competition on 642.35 ahead of Russian Oleksandr Bondar, who managed 590.15.

The top nine divers to reach the fi­­nal are assured of automatic spots in the Youth Olympics, which is for athletes between 16 and 17-year-olds.

Pandelela, who hails from Kampung Jugan in Bau, which is about 30km from Kuching, was happy to be the only non-China gold medallist in the qualifiers.

“I have not prepared well on the training aspects as I injured my back sometime early last month,” said Pandelela in a telephone interview from Guadalajara.

“I only started about a week of intensive training after I recovered from my injury. I did not expect to do so well as this is still in the early part of the season.”

Besides the Youth Olympics, Pan­de­lela’s other major assignments for the year are the New Delhi Com­mon­­wealth Games (October) and Guang­zhou Asian Games (Novem­ber).

The world championship finalist in the 10m platform will be making her debut in both Games and she certainly has the potential to spring some surprises.

Pandelela is yet another diving talent from Sarawak. The other Sarawakians who have made their presence felt on the international stage include Bryan Nickson, Gracie Junita and Elizabeth Jimie.

Pandelela, who was roped into the national squad three years ago, won the 10m platform individual and synchronised events in the Laos SEA Games last December.

She created history at the world championships in Rome last year in the 10m platform synchronised event, partnering Leong Mun Yee to bag the bronze for Malaysia’s first-ever medal in world championship aquatics.