Will they sync?
Divers take the plunge under different coaches in World Cup
PETALING JAYA: All eyes will be on the national diving team when they make the plunge in the FINA Diving World Cup in Wuhan, China, today.
The elite divers are now under three different coaches after the departure of head coach Yang Zhuliang, who left after his contract was not renewed in December.
Zhang Yukun is the acting head coach and takes care of five women divers in the Podium Programme – Cheong Jun Hoong, Pandelela Rinong, Leong Mun Yee, Nur Dhabitah Sabri and Wendy Ng Yan Yee.
Li Teng looks after the back-up divers but now has to take care of seniors Ooi Tze Liang and Ahmad Amsyar Azman after the duo requested to revert to Chinese coaching methods.
Australian Christian Brooker handles the back-up divers like Jellson Jabillin, Hanis Nazirul Jaya Surya and Chew Yiwei.
The World Cup will be the biggest meet for diving since the World Aquatics Championships in Budapest, Hungary, last year and will be an indicator whether the divers are good enough to fight for medals without Zhuliang at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
At the world meet in Budapest, Jun Hoong splashed her way to gold in the women’s 10m platform individual. She also partnered Pandelela to take bronze in the women’s 10m platform synchro event.
The current coaches have the duty to maintain the good record set by Zhuliang at the last three World Cup meets.
Huang Qiang-Bryan Nickson Lomas made history by winning Malaysia’s first medal at the Diving World Cup in London in 2012 – a bronze in the men’s 3m springboard synchro.
Mun Yee claimed the silver with Jun Hoong in the women’s 10m platform synchro at the 2014 edition in Shanghai, China, and Pandelela repeated the feat with Jun Hoong in the 10m platform synchro in Rio de Janeiro two years ago.
Yukun said it was too early to talk about the Olympics but it will be a good test for the diving squad ahead of the Asian Games in Indonesia in August.
“The World Cup is not the biggest mission for our divers this year as our targets were set for the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games and Asian Games.
“It’s also not the Olympic qualifying event but the results will determine who makes the cut for the
Diving World Series next year.
“We have medal chances in the women’s synchro events – 3m springboard and 10m platform – but it will be very tough in other events,” he said.
Twenty-six countries will be taking part in this year’s World Cup. Jellson will partner veteran Leong Mun Yee for the team event while Pandelela will combine with Yiwei for the mixed 10m platform synchro today.