PETALING JAYA: Youngster Nur Dhabitah Sabri proved she is Malaysia’s diver of the future with a second straight gold medal in the Asian Diving Cup at the Toa Payoh Swimming Complex in Singapore on Sunday.
The 14-year-old, who won the women’s 10m platform synchro with Traisy Vivien Tukiet on Saturday, upstaged compatriot Loh Zhiayi for the individual platform crown. The 16-year-old Zhiayi was the favourite, having won the silver at the Asian Youth Games in Nanjing last month.
Dhabitah amassed 274.45 points compared to Zhiayi’s total of 273.70. Indonesia’s Yasmin Linadini was third with a 233.90 total.
“I did not expect to beat Zhiayi as she is better than me in the platform. But I’ve beaten her before, in the 3m springboard at the Kuantan Sukma last year,” said Dhabitah, who is bound for the Myanmar SEA Games in December.
“It’s a sweet and meaningful victory. But at the end of the day, winning honours for the country matters more and I have delivered two,” added Dhabitah.
Malaysia continued to stamp their mark in the absence of top diving nation China with Jasmine Lai-Kam Ling Kar contributing the team’s fourth gold in the women’s 3m springboad synchro final.
Jasmine-Ling Kar combined for a 248.16 total to finish ahead of Fong Kay Yian-Myra Lee of Singapore (227.34) and Eka Purnama-Dewi Setyaningsih (215.91) of Indonesia.
There was, however, no joy this time for Mohd Danial Sabri and Mohd Nazreen Abdullah.
Danial and Nazreen, who won the men’s 10m platform synchro gold on Saturday, failed to impress in the 3m springboard individual.
Danial could only manage a fifth placing while Nazreen finished seventh.
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