Wearing world crown won’t add on pressure – Jun Hoong

SEPANG: Newly crowned world diving champion Cheong Jun Hoong says wearing the crown would not add on to the pressure when competing in the 29th Kuala Lumpur 2017 SEA Games (KL2017) next month.

The 27-year-old diver said every competition offers a new challenge that must be faced and should not take opponents lightly at any time.

“The world champion is just a title and with my success, history has been made. I am not under any pressure. At least I have brought moments that all Malaysians can be proud of. I am not concerned about my score in the championships and I did not even look at the score board until Round four.

“I was able to overcome the pressure and enjoy the championship this time around,” Jun Hoong told reporters after arriving at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA), here today.

Jun Hoong added that being the world champion would not give any bragging rights during the Kuala Lumpur 2017 SEA Games next month.

According to Jun Hoong, she would always respect her fellow competitors and regard everyone as a possible threat during competitions.

“To me, every competition is a new challenge and I will give my best to help the contingent achieve the target set for the games,” she said.

At the world championship in Budapest, Hungary, which ended on Wednesday, Jun Hoong produced a stunning performance to win the women’s individual 10m platform gold medal, with 397.50 points, albeit beating two Chinese divers, a feat that has not been possible at every level of diving competition for decades.

The Perak-born who had partnered Pandelela Rinong to win the silver medal at the Rio Olympic Games in 2016, beat former world champion Si Yajie from China and Rio Olympics gold medal winner Ren Qian en route to winning the gold medal in London.

Earlier, when Jun Hoong arrived in KLIA from London with the diving squad, about 1,000 fans and family members started cheering the new world champion.

She also entered the Malaysia Books of Record as the first Malaysian diver to win a world title in diving. – Bernama