YI WEI-TZE LIANG BAG BRONZE AT GERMAN DIVING GP
Yi Wei-Tze Liang launch Malaysia’s quest for another successful year
PETALING JAYA: Chew Yiwei- Ooi Tze Liang bagged a bronze medal at the German Diving Grand Prix to launch Malaysia’s quest for another successful year in world diving.
The duo put up a creditable show to finish third in the men’s 3m springboard synchro final of the season-opening Diving Grand Prix circuit in Rostock on Saturday with a six-dive total of 387.54 points ahead of Mexicans Rodrigo Diego-Jahir Ocampo (382.83).
China’s Wang Zong Yuam-Hu Zijie took gold with 422.37 points while British siblings Jack and Ross Haslam got the silver (407.46).
Yiwei-Tze Liang’s achievement showed they are on track to deliver a medal at the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games in April.
Yiwei last partnered Tze Liang for the 3m springboard synchro at the World Aquatics Championships in Budapest, Hungary, last year where they place 10th in the final with 370.77 points.
Yiwei-Tze Liang also paired up to win a silver for Malaysia at the Asian Swimming Championships in Tokyo in 2016.
“I did not compete in this event at the SEA Games.
“Yiwei paired up with Ahmad Amsyar Azman and they still did a good job,” said Penang-born Tze Liang.
“But for the Commonwealth Games, I’m likely to partner Yiwei. We’re still learning some new routines and I hope we’ll be able to fine-tune it before the Commonwealth Games.”
In the men’s 3m springboard individual competition, Tze Liang managed to reach the final but was placed sixth with 328.75 points.
Tze Liang did better in the semis heat, scoring 403.50 points to finish second
We’re still learning some new routines and I hope we’ll be able to fine-tune it before the Commonwealth Games.
Ooi Tze Liang
behind Ross Haslam (408.95) while teammate Ahmad failed to make the cut after he ended up sixth (352.40).
Only the top three divers in each heat qualified for the final.
Tze Liang finished ninth (366.20) while Ahmad was 11th (354.80) in the preliminaries.
Malaysia were only represented by the three male divers from the Podium Programme in Rostock.
The Podium’s four female divers – Pandelela Rinong, Nur Dhabitah Sabri, Cheong Jun Hoong and Leong Mun Yee – are training in China to get ready for the first leg of the Diving World Series in Beijing from March 9-11.