The opening day of the SEA Games diving competition saw Malaysia making clean sweep of all the three gold medals contested on Sunday(26 Aug) at the National Aquatic Centre in Bukit Jalil.
Best friends Wendy Ng Yan Yee and Nur Dhabitah Sabri made it a 1-2 finish for Malaysia in the women’s 3m springboard.
The 24 year-old Wendy won her first SEA Games individual gold after amassing a score of
342.90 points to win the first gold on offer.
Rising star Dhabitah, who earned the honour of lighting up the Games cauldron last Saturday,
settled for silver with a score of 311.25. Singapore’s Ashlee Tan Yi Xuan came in third with a total points of 233.60.
Yan Yee thanked her coach Yang Zhuliang, who believed in her and allowed her to compete in the event despite suffering injuries on her back and shoulder.”I am happy I got my first ever individual gold medal despite still not at my best condition.
“I was down with back and shoulder injuries prior to the Games and was unable to do very well in training after competing in the World Championships in Budapest, Hungary recently,” she said.
“I would like to dedicate this gold medal to my grandmother who is unwell and unable to make it here today,” said the clearly jubilant Yan Yee.
Ooi Tze Liang, the reigining Commonwealth Games champion, put up a fine show to retain the men’s 3m springboard individual gold, amassing a score of 458.00 points to deliver Malaysia’s second gold.
Ahmad Amsyar Azman took the silver for Malaysia with 432.25 points while Singapore’s Timothy Lee bagged home the bronze with 386.35 points.
The third gold medal came from the pair of Gabriel Gilbert Daim-Pandalela Rinong who combined well to win the Team competition and completed the six-dive event with 345.40 points to win the gold medal.
It was a truly sweet and memorable outing for the 16 year-old Gabriel who completed his Games debut on a high note in the new mixed team event.
Gilbert, who is from Kota Kinabalu, was delighted he managed to go through the event unscathed. “I was scared of failing my dives as I was feeling quite nervous… I’m glad to have won the gold in my first SEA Games at home soil.”
Singapore’s Freida Lim-Jonathan Chan bagged the silver medal with 335.55 while Thailand’s Surincha Booranapol-Theerapat Siriboon took home the bronze medal with 243.90.
