PHNOM PENH: Performing in the 10 metres (m) platform was such a rarity for national women’s diver, Lee Yiat Qing, but who would have thought that this 15-year-old athlete could do wonders in her maiden SEA Games, here, today.
While most attention was on her senior, Nur Eilisha Rania Muhammad Abrar Raj, Yiat Qing, who often dives in the 3m springboard event, rose to the occasion as she splashed her way to gold for the national diving camp after winning the women’s platform event in the Morodok Techo Aquatics Centre, here.
The Kuala Lumpur-born athlete amassed 253.80 points to finish ahead of Bui Thi Hong Giang of Vietnam (242.20 points) for silver while Gladies Lariesa Garina Haga of Indonesia took bronze (228.00 points).
It was such an unfortunate day for debutant Nur Eilisha as her poor fourth dive took a toll on her bid to get a podium finish alongside Yiat Qing after scoring 227.05 points to finish fourth out of seven divers in the event that combined both the 10m and 5m platforms.
Speaking to the Malaysian media, Yiat Qing said she did not expect to take home gold as she is relatively new for the platform events.
“I usually dive in 3m springboard but for SEA Games I was picked to compete in platform event and started training last December
“I did not think too much, I just did whatever I could here. Today’s performance was really good, I did not expect to do this great. It is the biggest win in my career so far. I am happy and proud as all my hardwork paid off ,” she said.
Asked whether today’s victory could be a turning point for her to switch to platform events, she did not discount such a possibility and even consider to dive in both events.
Moving forward, she hopes to compete in the 2028 Olympic Games to be held in Los Angeles, United States of America.
Yiat Qing’s sweet achievement today saw the national diving camp are on the verge of continuing their domination in Cambodia after winning two golds previously via Kimberly Bong in the women’s 3m springboard individual and Muhammad Syafiq Puteh in men’s 3m springboard individual. In the last day of diving events tomorrow, Malaysia will field two more divers – Bertrand Rhodict Anak Lises and Enrique Maccartney Harold – in the men’s 10m platform en route to complete a clean sweep of all four golds offered in the 2023 SEA Games. – BERNAMA
