Youth Olympics: Singapore 2010 feat a tough act to follow

PETALING JAYA: Pandelela Rinong and Loh Zhiayi made their mark in diving at the previous Youth Olympic Games (YOG) but the proud record is likely to end in the third edition starting in Buenos Aires, Argentina, from tomorrow.

Pandelela took two silvers in the girls’ 10m platform and 3m springboard in the inaugural Games in Singapore in 2010.

Zhiayi maintained the sterling show by taking silver in the girls’ 10m platform and bronze in the 3m springboard in Nanjing, China, four years later.

Jellson Jabillin and Kimberly Bong (pic) are the flag bearers in diving and both will be looking forward to competing on the world stage after splashing to two golds each at the Perak Sukma in Ipoh last month.

But the chances of the duo emulating the likes of Pandelela and Zhiayi are slim.

Their dive difficulties are not high enough to fight the likes of China, Mexico, Britain and Australian counterparts.

Consistency will be their biggest enemy as the competition format requires the divers to go through preliminaries and the final.

Jellson, who is from Sabah, qualified on merit for boys’ 10m platform while Kimberly, who is from Sarawak, will compete in both girls’ 10m platform and 3m springboard.

Making the final is perhaps the best the youngsters can manage.

Out of the six sports where Malaysia have representatives, it will be badminton that stands the best chance to secure a podium finish.

Goh Jin Wei, the 2015 world junior champion, will be making a bid to claim the girls’ singles gold medal.

The 2017 Kuala Lumpur SEA Games champion is expected to fight it out with world No. 1 Wang Zhiyi of China and No. 2 Phittayaporn Chaiwan of Thailand for the crown. Jin Wei is ranked third in the world junior rankings.

Malaysia, however, are not represented in the boys’ singles event as none made the top-27 cut based on the BWF world junior rankings.

For the others, achieving their personal bests or making the final will already be considered an achievement in the face of worldclass competition.

A 19-member strong contingent will compete in athletics, aquatics (swimming and diving), five-a-side hockey, gymnastics (artistic and rhythmic), table tennis and triathlon with former Olympic archer Cheng Chu Sian as the chef de mission.

THE MALAYSIAN TEAM

Athletics: Muhammad Fakhrul Abdul Aziz.

Aquatics: Jellson Jabillin and Kimberly Bong (diving); Low Zheng Yong and Arvin Shaun Singh (swimming).

Gymnastics: Zarith Imaan Khalid (artistic) and Rayna Hoh Khai Ling (rhythmic).

Hockey five-a-side: Ahir Hamiz, Anuar Akhimullah, Zahar Amirul, Kamaruddin Kamarulzaman, Mat Syarman, Moharam Muhibuddin, Ishak Arif, Rosdi Firdaus, Saupi Shahrul.

Table tennis: Alice Chang and Choong Javen.

Triathlon: Chong Xian Hao.