Jun Hoong pulls out of FINA World Diving GP

PETALING JAYA: Rio Olympic silver medallist Cheong Jun Hoong has pulled out from the FINA World Diving Grand Prix, which starts in Kuching, Sarawak, today.

National coach Yang Zhuliang made the decision to scratch Jun Hoong from the three-day meet starting at the Pandelela Rinong Aquatics Centre after complaining of a sore back in training yesterday.

Jun Hoong was slated to compete in the women’s 3m springboard individual and synchro event with Wendy Ng Yan Yee.

Jun Hoong partnered Pandelela to a silver in the women’s 10m platform synchro event at the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro in August.

That’s now her last competition for this year as she is also skipping next month’s Asian Swimming Championships in Yokohama, Japan.

Pandelela and another Rio Olympic finalist, Nur Dhabitah Sabri, skipped the Diving GP earlier to focus on their studies.

“Jun Hoong will only come back to train next year. She has had a busy year, having to train and compete in three events at the Olympics,” said Zhuliang.

“It’s an old recurring injury, but I do not want to take chances as the Diving GP is not one of our main assignments.”

With Jun Hoong out, Jasmine Lai will step in alongside Wendy for the women’s 3m springboard individual.

Wendy had an outstanding campaign at the Rio Olympics – making the final and finishing 10th in the 3m springboard individual.

Ahmad Amsyar Azman, Chew Yiwei and Muhd Syafiq Puteh have been entered for the men’s 3m springboard individual.

Yiwei will partner Glasgow Commonwealth Games champion Ooi Tze Liang in the men’s 3m springboard synchro.

All eyes will be on 14-year-old Kimberly Bong Qian Ping, who will make her international debut for the country in the Diving GP.

Sarawak-born Kimberly will compete in the women’s 10m platform individual alongside 2014 Youth Olympic silver medallist Loh Zhiayi.

Kimberly, who joined the national set-up late last year, did well at the Sukma in Kuching in July.

She partnered Elisha Rania Abrial Rajagopal Francis to bag the gold for Sarawak in the women’s 10m platform synchro.

Kimberly also bagged three bronzes in the 1m springboard individual, 10m platform individual and 3m springboard synchro with Elisha.

Besides Malaysia, the other countries competing in the Diving GP are China, Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, Russia, Singapore and the United States.

China, despite resting their Rio Olympic divers, will still feature a formidable line-up comprising World Championships and Diving World Cup champions.

Among the notable Chinese divers taking part are 2015 Kazan World Championships 3m springboard mixed synchro gold medallists Yang Hao-Wang Han and Yang Jian, who is the men’s 10m platform winner at the 2014 Diving World Cup in Shanghai, China.