Another first for Malaysia in Diving Grand Prix

The winning mixed diving pair Chew Yiwei (left) and Cheong Jun Hoong from Malaysia at the Malaysian Grand Prix meet on Saturday. - RICKY LAI/ The STAR

KUALA LUMPUR: It’s another first for Malaysia.

Chew Yi Wei and Cheong Jun Hoong had just one training session, but it was enough for them to bag Malaysia’s first-ever win in the 10m mixed synchro event at the FINA Diving Grand Prix at the National Aquatic Centre in Bukit Jalil.

Teaming up for the first time in an event that Malaysia never planned on competing, Yi Wei-Jun Hoong rode on the back of two superb dives – the third (76.50 points) and fourth (80.64) - for a winning total of 326.82 points.

They finished ahead of China’s Wang Anqi-Wang Ying (298.92) and Australia’s Brittany O’Brien-Nicholas Jeffree (264.42).

On Friday, Yi Wei had won a gold medal in the men’s 3m springboard synchro with Ahmad Amsyar Azman – also after just one training session.

The 20-year-old Yi Wei is becoming something of a mixed synchro specialist, having been used by coach Yang Zhuliang since the introduction of the event (including the mixed 3m springboard synchro) by FINA last December.

Yi Wei had partnered Loh Zhiayi, who is not involved this week as she’s preparing for the SPM examinations, to bag a silver in the same event at the Puerto Rico Grand Prix in April.

He also won a silver with Traisy Vivien Tukiet in last month’s Asian Diving Cup in Bukit Jalil.

No wonder Yi Wei is over the moon.

“It’s definitely a surprise win. We didn’t even know we were competing... ,” said Yi Wei.

Jun Hoong, the 2014 World Cup silver medallist, was just glad to have made amends for her dismal opening-day performance – finishing fifth in the 10m platform individual.

“I’m relieved to have made up for yesterday... I was disappointed with myself,” she said.

Hopes of seeing rising star Nur Dhabitah Sabri adding a medal to Malaysia’s tally in the 3m springboard individual failed to materialise after she could only manage fifth placing with a 282.70 total.

She was on course for a podium finish after the first two rounds, but poor dives in her third and fourth attempts put paid to her chances of winning.

RESULTS

All finals

Men's 10m platform synchro: 1. Wang Anqi-Gao Ang (Chn) 394.86, 2. Adityo Restu Putra-Andriyan Andriyan (Ina) 308.22.

Women's 3m springboard individual: 1. Wu Chunting (Chn) 329.20, 2. Nedobiga Anastasiia (Ukr) 321.25, 3. Xu Zhihuan (Chn) 307.60.
Selected: 5. Nur Dhabitah Sabri (Mas) 282.70.

Mixed 10m platform synchro: 1. Chew Yi Wei-Cheong Jun Hoong (Mas) 326.82, 2. Wang Ying-Wang Anqi (Chn) 298.92, 3. Brittany O’Brien-Nicholas Jefree (Aus) 264.42.