Leong Mun Yee is still very passionate and motivated despite being already 29-year-old this year.
PETALING JAYA: It’s not easy to stay motivated in a sport once you hit your late 20s.
But don’t tell that to diver Leong Mun Yee.
The 29-year-old is so passionate about the sport that she doesn’t mind going through the daily grind of training as she prepares to make her fourth straight Asian Games appearance – a record for a Malaysian diver – in Incheon, South Korea, next week.
Mun Yee is also not planning on going there to make up the numbers.
She will partner Pandelela Rinong in the women’s 10m platform synchro, for which they won a silver medal in Guangzhou four years ago.
A gold medal may be too high a target as China boast of reigning World Cup champions Chen Ruolin-Liu Huixia.
Ruolin partnered Wang Hao to lift the Asian Games title in Guangzhou before taking the Olympic title in London.
So, Mun Yee might as well forget about ending her diving career with a golden splash.
“It’ll be very tough to beat China at the Asiad. China are treating the Games as their priority in a year where there’s no Olympic Games or World Championships. So, they are sending their best divers,” said national diving coach Yang Zhuliang from Guangzhou, China, on Wednesday. (The Incheon-bound squad are currently in Guangzhou to prepare for the Asian Games.)
“Pandelela did not take part in the platform synchro event due to her injury at the World Cup in Shanghai in July but Mun Yee and Cheong Jun Hoong combined well to snatch a silver behind the Chinese pair.
“Our divers are closing the gap on China ... but they still have the edge. I’ll be happy if Mun Yee-Pandelela can keep the silver.
“For someone her age, Mun Yee’s achievements are very good, indeed. I have not seen many athletes who are able to maintain themselves for a fourth four-year cycle.
“She is very dedicated in training and the younger ones look up to her like a big sister.”
Mun Yee, the oldest member in the national diving team, is the only one still active from the Jaya ’98 Commonwealth Games squad.
She did not get to dive in the Bangkok Asian Games that year as she was deemed too young and inexperienced.
She made her Asiad debut in 2002 as Malaysia competed in diving for the first time – capturing a bronze in the 3m springboard synchro with Farah Begum Abdullah in Busan.
In 2006, Mun Yee picked up two bronzes – in 3m springboard individual and springboard synchro (with Elizabeth Jimie) – in Doha.
Apart from the silver with Pandelela, Mun Yee also claimed a second silver with Wendy Ng Yan Yee in the 3m springboard synchro in Guangzhou in 2010.
Diving was the biggest medal contributor in Guangzhou – with four silvers and five bronzes.
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