INCHEON: It is really mission impossible for Malaysia to meet the eight-gold target now.
There are only two days left for the Malaysian athletes to search for golds. Only bowling and karate, which starts on Thursday, have real gold-medal chances.
Wednesday saw a barren medal run for Malaysia as the divers failed to make a splash at the Munhak Park Tae-hwan Aquatics Centre.
Malaysia were banking on Ooi Tze Liang and Cheong Jun Hoong to deliver the cheers in the men’s and women’s 1m springboard competitions.
Jun Hoong, however, failed to defend the women’s 1m springboard bronze she won in Guangzhou four years ago. She finished fifth with a 257.75 total.
World champion Shi Tingmao led a 1-2 sweep for China. Tingmao amassed 308.45 points to finish ahead of Wang Han, who chalked up 287.40 points. Kim Na-mi of South Korea snatched the bronze with a 269.85 total.
Nur Dhabitah Sabri, the other Malaysian competitor, was sixth on 254.40.
Tze Liang fell out of contention after landing on his belly in his fourth dive and eventually finished fifth with 356.70 points. Team-mate Ahmad Amsyar accumulated 352.75 points for sixth spot.
Asian Games debutant He Chao pulled off a surprise by beating his brother He Chong, the 2008 Olympic champion, to the gold with 462.85 points.
He Chong posted a 443.10 total for the silver ahead of South Korea’s Woo Ha-ram, who amassed 410.00 points.
Malaysian chef de mission Datuk Danyal Balagopal, who came to watch the divers in action on Wednesday, admitted the target may not be met.
“I will look stupid if I say we can meet the eight-gold target.
“But we still have Malaysian interest in bowling and we are hoping for the karate exponents to salvage some pride for us. So let’s give them the support they need. They are trying their best for the country,” said Danyal.
As of Wednesday, Malaysia’s medal tally stands at four golds, 14 silvers and 10 bronzes.
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