China's Wang Han who already has a Diving World Series title in the 3m springboard will also be in contention for a podium finish at Diving World Grand Prix in Malaysia. - Filepic
PETALING JAYA: The World Diving Grand Prix will be held in Kuala Lumpur for the first time next weekend but the medals won’t come easy as giants China are sending a strong cast.
Malaysia are hosting it for the first time at the National Aquatic Centre in Bukit Jalil and 10 other countries – Australia, Canada, China, Colombia, Georgia, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Monaco, Puerto Rico and the United States – will be represented in what is the eighth and final leg of the World Diving Grand Prix.
But China will take top billing as they will bring their brightest young talents, who will be blooded for the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.
Every one of the 11 divers in the strong China team have stood on the Diving Grand Prix podiums this year.
Reigning Commonwealth Games champion Ooi Tze Liang will find it tough as he has to contend with Li Shixin and He Chao in the springboard.
Shixin is a two-time world champion in 1m springboard while He Chao, the younger brother of former Olympic champion He Chong, won the 1m springboard at the recent Incheon Asian Games.
It will be equally hard in the 10m platform as well because China have the likes of Huo Liang, Chen Aisen and Zhang Yanquan.
Huo Liang is an Olympic gold medallist in 10m platform synchro while Aisen and Yanquan won the gold for China in this event in Incheon.
London Olympian bronze medallist Pandelela Rinong and her team-mates will also have to brace for a torrid time against their formidable Chinese opponents.
Wang Han and Liu Huixia are the respective Diving World Series winners in 3m springboard and 10m platform this year while Si Yajie is the reigning world champion and Incheon gold medallist for 10m platform.
Huang Xiaohui, Ren Qian and Ji Siyu make up the Chinese women’s team.
Xiaohui and Ren Qian have finished on top of the podium in the World Grand Prix legs this year.
National coach Yang Zhuliang admitted that it would be tough for Malaysia to win as many medals as they hoped for despite competing on home ground.
“We cannot expect the divers to deliver medals like at the Asian Games as we also have to fight with countries like Australia, Canada and the US,” he said.
“China have the strongest team. Their Asian Games divers will be here and they are the ones who are being prepared for the next Olympics ... so they are already up there.”
Malaysia have entered a 12-member strong team. Tze Liang, Ahmad Amsyar and Chew Yiwei will challenge for honours in the men’s competitions.
The women divers are Pandelela, Leong Mun Yee, Traisy Vivien Tukiet, Kam Ling Kar, Jasmine Lai, Cheong Jun Hoong, Wendy Ng, Loh Zhiayi and Nur Dhabitah Sabri.
Except for Mun Yee and Pandelela, the others are competing in the penultimate round of the Diving Grand Prix in Singapore this weekend.
Limited time offer:
Just RM5 per month.
