Wendy Ng and Cheong Jun Hoong (left) on their way to winning the women’s 3m springboard synchro gold at the SEA Games on Dec 20, 2013.
NAYPYITAW: Diver Wendy Ng Yan Yee is hoping to be given the chance to form a strong partnership with Cheong Jun Hoong for the women’s 3m springboard synchro beginning from next year.
Wendy partnered Jun Hoong to win the event as Malaysia rolled forward with their sixth win out of eight completed at the Wunna Theikdi Aquatic Centre here on Friday.
The pair collected 293.70 points for the gold ahead of Indonesians Indah Eka Purnama-Setyaningsih De, who collected 249.90 points.
Singaporeans Myra Lee-Fong Kay Yian took the bronze with 223.53 points.
It is the second gold for Jun Hoong and the first for Wendy in Naypyitaw.
Jun Hoong denied Wendy her first individual gold medal at the SEA Games with her final dive in the 3m springboard competition on Wednesday.
Wendy was down in the dumps after failing to hold her performance till the end and hoped to play a bigger role with Friday’s triumph.
“I felt I have improved a lot in my third SEA Games appearance and that is why I was disappointed to miss out on the individual gold two days ago.
“It’s done with and I cannot do anything. I am still not as consistent as Pandelela Rinong but I hope the coach will give me a chance.
“I still need to improve on my routines especially as next year will be important for everyone.
“There is the Diving World Series, World Cup, Commonwealth Games and Asian Games.
“I hope to feature in the 3m springboard synchro event regularly,” said Wendy, who reached the semis in the 3m springboard individual event at the World Championships in Barcelona in July.
This is her third successive gold in the 3m springboard synchro, having partnered Leong Mun Yee to win the event in Vientiane (2009) and in Palembang (2011).
Jun Hoong-Wendy made an impressive debut in the Diving World Series this year, clinching bronze in three legs in Moscow, Edinburgh and Guadalajara.
They also claimed bronze in the US Grand Prix in Fort Lauderdale in May. But Wendy was overlooked in favour of Pandelela for the 3m springboard synchro at the World Championships in Barcelona in July.
The Pandelela-Jun Hoong combination nearly won a medal if not for a costly mistake by Jun Hoong with their last attempt to settle for fifth.
Saturday, the final day of the diving competition, will determine whether Malaysia can pull off a clean sweep of all eight gold medals at stake for the first time outside home soil.
Tze Liang will partner Mohd Nazreen for the men’s 10m platform synchro while Mun Yee will make her entrance with youngster Nur Dhabitah Sabri for the women’s event.
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