Malaysia’s campaign ends on a damper with Tze Liang’s pullout

KUCHING: It was an anti-climactic end for hosts Malaysia at the FINA Diving Grand Prix.

With national coach Yang Zhuliang pulling Olympian Ooi Tze Liang out of the men’s 10m platform individual, there was no Malaysian diver in action on the last day at the Pandelela Rinong Aquatic Centre yesterday.

Earlier on Saturday, Tze Liang had partnered Chew Yiwei to bag the silver in the men’s 3m springboard synchro.

“The synchro is less rigorous compared to the individual event. Tze Liang would need to do six dives in the semi-finals and another six in the final, so I didn’t want to take any chances,” said Zhuliang.

“He has not recovered fully from his shin injury suffered since last year.

“The exertions on the 10m platform are not something to be taken lightly,” added the Chinese coach.

Tze Liang, the 3m springboard individual champion at the 2014 Glasgow Commonwealth Games, finished 22nd in the 10m platform individual in his Olympic debut in Rio de Janeiro in August.

It was a huge letdown for the Sarawak fans as they also did not get to see Olympians Pandelela Rinong, Nur Dhabitah Sabri and Cheong Jun Hoong in action.

Pandelela, who partnered Jun Hoong to win the 10m platform synchro silver in Rio, is now taking a break to focus on her studies as well as to recuperate from a back injury.

Jun Hoong was forced to pull out on the eve of the championships to nurse a sore back while Dhabitah is preparing to sit for her SPM examination.

“It has been tough this year for our divers as we don’t have a proper place to train.

“Our base in Bukit Jalil is under renovation and will only be completed in middle of next year.

“So, we travel to and fro from China. The recovery time is not good and it is easy to aggravate their injuries,” said Zhuliang.

Wendy Ng Yan Yee’s breakthrough win over China’s Huang Xiaohui and Wang Han in the women’s 3m springboard individual on Saturday was the saving grace for Malaysia. It was the only event – out of the eight contested – not won by a Chinese diver.

But Wendy is not travelling with the team to the Australian leg of the Diving Grand Prix in Gold Coast this weekend. She is taking a break for the rest of the year to focus on her studies.

The divers competing in Gold Coast are Tze Liang, Yiwei, Muhd Syafiq Puteh, Loh Zhiayi, Jasmine Lai and Kimberly Bong.

China topped the medal standings with a 7-4-1 tally followed by Malaysia (1-1-1) and Australia (0-11).