Wendy’s retirement exposes huge gap in divers’ quality but MSF not panicking
KUALA LUMPUR: It’s a painful reality but Wendy Ng Yan Yee’s decision to retire has only exposed the big gap between the seniors and current back-up divers.
The three-time Olympian announced her retirement on Monday after serving 14 years in the national diving team and contributing medals at the SEA Games, Commonwealth Games and Asian Games.
Besides competing in the women’s 3m springboard individual, Wendy has also been a regular podium winner with Nur Dhabitah Sabri in the 3m springboard synchro.
The question now is who will partner Dhabitah in the women’s 3m springboard synchro?
Malaysian diving team technical director Bryan Nickson Lomas was blunt with the answer.
“Nobody. We don’t have anyone good enough to be paired up with Dhabitah at the moment,” said Bryan.
“Wendy and Dhabitah have high experience and technical difficulty, which none of the back-up divers can come close to at the moment.
“Maybe simple difficulties are sufficient at SEA Games but not at the bigger Games,” admitted the Olympian.
After Dhabitah, Kimberly Bong and Ong Ker Ying are the best springboard divers Malaysia have but they are still competing using lower difficulties.
Kimberly won the SEA Games gold medal in the women’s 3m springboard individual in Cambodia last year while Ker Ying has partnered Wendy to take gold in the 3m springboard synchro event at the Vietnam SEA Games two years ago.
“Kimberly is trying out platform diving as long as her shoulders can cope. She is more suited to platform diving and that was where she started out before she had the shoulder injury,” said Bryan.
“Now with the two new Chinese coaches starting soon, we will use the next two years to build up the national team again.
“We are in the process of rebuilding the foundation. The two new hiring are state coaches in China but they are young, in their 30s.
“Younger coaches are more willing to embrace new methods and also the sport science elements.
Bryan said the failure at the World Championships in Doha had also been a blessing.
“We are now completely re-doing everything. The National Sports Council have also agreed that we need to change ... we are emphasising on transfer of knowledge and talent identification clinics.
“We’re making sure there is at least one local coach in the Podium and Pelapis set-up to learn from the foreign coaches,” he added.
Malaysia Swimming Federation (MSF) have brought in Mao Lin to replace Li Rui, who will no longer be with the national team after next month.
Mao Lin, Li Junbai and Nor Aznizal Najib will look after the divers under the Podium programme.
Another new hiring Li Junsong will work with Lu Jia Ning and Datuk Leong Mun Yee to take care of the divers under the Pelapis programme.