Malaysian divers capture surprise gold at Grand Prix event

Amsyar (right) and Yi Wei performed a huge 80.58 point final dive to capture the gold medal in the 3m springboard synchro in the FINA Diving Grand Prix. - BRIAN MOH / The Star

KUALA LUMPUR: Once is enough for Ahmad Amsyar Azman and Chew Yi Wei.

The national divers had only one practice session, but it was enough for them to capture a surprise gold in the 3m springboard synchro event at the FINA Diving Grand Prix at the National Aquatic Centre in Bukit Jalil on Friday.

What made their feat even more amazing was that Amsyar had only an hour earlier clinched a silver in the 3m springboard individual event.

The 23-year-old Amsyar has certainly blossomed after being in the shadows of such illustrious predecessors like Yeoh Ken Nee and Bryan Nickson Lomas, who have both retired.

And it was left to the Perlis-born Amsyar to lead Malaysia to a superb start at home, with a one gold and one silver haul.

Amsyar picked up a silver in the 3m springboard individual with 436.10 points.

He was third after the fifth and penultimate dive before a superb 81.90 in the last dive saw him overtake Kolodiy Oleg of Ukraine (428.80) for the silver.

Gwangju World University Games double gold medallist Peng Jianfeng of China was in a class of his own – bagging the gold with 476.60.

Then came the golden moment.

Amsyar and Yi Wei looked to be heading for the bronze, but a stunning 80.58-point final dive saw them amass 371.31 points to pip China’s Li Yanan-Zhong Yuming for the gold medal.

Yanan-Yuming (367.50pts) took silver and Poland’s Andrzej Rzeszutek-Kacper Lesiak (354.81) the bronze.

Amsyar-Yi Wei’s victory is Malaysia’s third gold medal in the event in the Grand Prix history. In 2012, naturalised Huang Qiang and Bryan clinched back-to-back titles at the Canadian Open and US Open.

Amsyar can certainly be proud of himself.

The individual silver he won was the best-ever feat by a national male diver on the world stage.

“I have made a total of 24 dives (six each for individual preliminary, semi-finals and final and synchro final) today ... it’s so tiring!,” said Amsyar.

“But it’s been worth it. I’ve never achieved so much before ... and I’ve done it in just one day, today.

“With (the injured Ooi) Tze Liang not around today, I knew I had to step up. My win with Yi Wei in the synchro shows that we have the talent despite the shortage of elite men divers.”

Yi Wei attributed his win with Amsyar to having “the right chemistry”.

“Although we had only a day’s practice, I think Amsyar and I had the right chemistry. The last time we combined was two or three years ago,” he said.

“I’m really delighted to win a gold for Malaysia ... especially in front of our home fans.”

Cheong Jun Hoong, the sole representative in the women’s 10m platform individual following Pandelela Rinong’s eleventh hour injury withdrawal, could only finish fourth with a poor score of 277.40.

 

RESULTS

(All finals)

MEN

3m springboard individual: 1. Peng Jianfeng (Chn) 476.60, 2. Ahmad Amsyar Azman (Mas) 436.10, 3. Kolodiy Oleg (Ukr) 428.80.

3m springboard synchro: 1. Ahmad Amsyar Azman-Chew Yi Wei (Mas) 371.31, 2. Li Yanan-Zhong Yuming (Chn) 367.50, 3. Andrzej Rzeszutek-Kacper Lesiak (Pol) 354.81.

WOMEN

10m platform individual: 1. Wang Ying (Chn) 382.70, 2. Lois Toulson (Bri) 347.20, 3. Wang Han (Chn) 324.30. Selected: 4. Cheong Jun Hoong (Mas) 277.40.