DIVERS PRACTICE AT NIGHT FOR ADAPTATION
Divers to undergo simulated training for Commonwealth Games
THE SQUAD
Men: Ooi Tze Liang, Ahmad Amsyar Azman, Chew Yiwei, Jellson Jabillin, Hanis Nazirul Jayasurya, Gabriel Gilbert Daim, Muhd Syafiq Puteh. Women: Cheong Jun Hoong, Pandelela Rinong, Leong Mun Yee, Nur Dhabitah Sabri, Jasmine Lai, Kimberly Bong.
KUALA LUMPUR: Nothing is left to chance when it comes to the chase for gold.
The national divers have been put through simulated night training to get them ready for the Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, Australia, next month.
Diving competition for the Commonwealth Games will be held at the Optus Aquatic Centre from April 11-14 and assistant coach Christian Brooker said it is important for the divers to have a good sense of the existing conditions there.
“It is an outdoor venue and the conditions are not the same as in a normal pool when you are twisting and turning through the air.
“We want the divers to have a grip on the environment around them with the lighting position and things like that.
“It’s important as the finals for the individual and most of the synchro events will be held in the evening between 7pm and 10pm.
“It’s already dark by that time and most of them have not competed in this pool as it’s just renovated for the Commonwealth Games.
“They have trained under simulated night conditions as we want to prepare them the best we can,” said Brooker, who is from Australia.
Asked for his advice to the divers, Brooker said: “We have no control over our competitors and the judges, so what we can do is to focus on our own dives and execute it the best we can.
“Our role as coaches is to help them go through the process as perfect as can be.
“I have faith in the divers to give their best and I know they want it for themselves,” said Brooker, who joined the coaching set-up in January.
Diving have never failed to contribute medals since Yeoh Ken Nee’s historic silver splash in the 1m springboard individual in Melbourne in 2006.
The expectations are there for diving to continue to deliver gold for the third straight time with reigning Olympic silver medallists Cheong Jun Hoong- Pandelela Rinong having the strongest chance in the women’s 10m platform synchro.
Jun Hoong-Pandelela, who are also the 2017 world championships bronze medallists, have a chance to start the golden trail on Aug 11 – the opening day of diving competition.
Pandelela bagged the nation’s first Commonwealth Games gold medal in diving with her win in the women’s 10m platform individual in New Delhi, India.
It was Ooi Tze Liang’s turn to shine when he triumphed in the men’s 3m springboard individual in Glasgow, Scotland, four years later.