Restless in rio

Jun Hoong ready to dive into three events

DIVER Cheong Jun Hoong is going to be the busiest Malaysian athlete at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics.

The 26-year-old Jun Hoong has been entered for three events – the 3m springboard individual, 3m springboard synchro with Nur Dhabitah Sabri and 10m platform synchro with Pandelela Rinong.

And it’s the Jun HoongPandelela partnership that lies Malaysia’s best chance for a medal.

The duo won the silver at the FINA World Cup in Rio in February this year.

For Jun Hoong, she is unfazed by the burden of competing in the three events.

“This is going to be the biggest moment of not only my career, but also my life,” said Jun Hoong, who made her Olympic debut in London in 2012.

“It’s so special because I’m going to compete in three events in the world’s biggest sporting event.

“And I can assure you that all of them are equally important to me.

“If I’m able to hit my personal best or better my performance, I think I will have a good Olympics.

“I have been telling myself to grab this opportunity and have faith with what I’m capable of achieving in Rio.”

A multiple SEA Games winner and two-time Asian Games bronze medallist, Jun Hoong could only manage 20th in the 3m springboard individual in London.

In the eight-pair 3m springboard synchro, she and Pandelela finished last.

Pandelela, however, was the toast in London.

She became the first Malaysian woman on the podium when she won the bronze in the 3m platform individual.

Malaysia are again banking on her for a medal.

But Pandelela, a bronze medallist at the 2015 World Championships, has been struggling for form this season.

Besides the silver in the FINA World Cup with Jun Hoong, Pandelela failed to win any medals in the World Cup and World Series.

For the rest of the divers, making the top-18 semi-finals would be an achievement. Some of them – like 17-year-old Nur Dhabitah Sabri – should take the opportunity to learn as much as they can for their next assault at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

It is the same for the two swimmers – Welson Sim and Phee Jinq En.

It would be a success if they break the national records in their respective events.

Malaysia have a representative in the women’s open water swimming with Heidi Gan the sole qualifier.

She will be looking to improve on her 16th-place finish in her debut in London four years ago.