Diver Ooi Tze Liang is set to compete in five events at next month
PETALING JAYA: After his Commonwealth Games exploits in Glasgow, diver Ooi Tze Liang has a shot at emerging as the biggest medal winner for Malaysia at the Incheon Asian Games.
Diving coach Yang Zhuliang will enter Tze Liang in all five events contested at the Games.
Besides the 10m platform and 3m springboard individual, Tze Liang will also compete in the 1m springboard individual as well as the synchro springboard and platform.
Tze Liang will partner Ahmad Amsyar for the 3m springboard synchro and will line up alongside Chew Yi Wei for the 10m platform synchro.
Amsyar will do the 1m and 3m springboard individual as well.
Diving will be perhaps be the only sport where Malaysia stands a chance of claiming a medal in every event contested.
Tze Liang made history as the first Malaysian male gold medallist for diving with his triumph in the 3m springboard individual at Glasgow. He also took silver in the 10m platform individual and finished third with Yiwei in 10m platform synchro but was not awarded the bronze as only four pairs were involved.
“Tze Liang will be the only diver to compete in all five events. He stands a chance to get a few medals but it is only the colour to be determined.”
In Guangzhou four years ago, Tze Liang took silver with Bryan Nickson Lomas in 10m platform synchro but finished sixth in the platform individual.
Zhuliang also confirmed that top female diver Pandelela Rinong will not be competing in the springboard in order not to aggravate her injury.
Pandelela, who injured her knees while training in China before the Commonwealth Games, will only contest the 10m platform individual and synchro with partner Leong Mun Yee. Youth Olympic silver medallist Loh Zhiayi is Zhuliang’s pick for the second slot for 10m platform individual.
Guangzhou, Malaysia bagged four silvers and five bronzes to finish second behind powerhouse China.
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