NEW CLARK CITY: The national diving squad have been urged to seize the opportunities at the 2020 Fina Diving World Cup to qualify for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.
National diving coach Christian Brooker said the World Cup, to be held at the Tokyo Aquatics Centre from April 21-27, would be the last qualifying competition for the 2020 Olympic Games.
The Australian, who joined the national set-up early this year, said all the top Malaysian divers who have yet to book their Olympic tickets would be sent for the World Cup.
“We must be placed among the top 18 in the individual event and also the top seven in the synchronised event to be guaranteed the tickets to the Olympics,“ he told reporters after the conclusion of the diving competition in the 30th SEA Games here today.
Four Malaysian women’s divers have qualified for Tokyo 2020 so far, namely Pandelela Rinong, Leong Mun Yee (pix), Wendy Ng Yan Yee and Nur Dhabitah Sabri.
Brooker was delighted that Malaysia swept the board as targeted, singling out Muhd Syafiq Puteh and Jasmine Lai Pui Yee for praise.
Malaysia made a clean sweep of all the four golds at stake at the Games.
Elite diver Ooi Tze Liang retained the gold in men’s 3-metre individual springboard, besides winning the synchronised event title with Muhd Syafiq.
Yan Yee also bagged two golds, in the women’s 3-metre individual springboard and the synchronised event with Nur Dhabitah Sabri.
Nur Dhabitah and Yan Yee were happy to reclaim the gold from Singaporean pair Ashley Tan Yi Xuan and Fong Kay Yian, who won the event at the 2017 Kuala Lumpur SEA Games, but said they needed to improve to clinch better results in major competitions, including the 2020 Olympic Games. — Bernama
