Well earned: Enrique Maccartney Harold (left) and Bertrand Rhodict pose wih their bronze medals. — AP
ENRIQUE Maccartney Harold had muscle cramps and was in pain, but he refused to give up. Instead, he dived through the pain to ensure he would come home with an Asian Games medal.
The 20-year-old started to suffer the cramps just before the last two dives but he showed steely resolve to hang on to take the bronze with partner and fellow Asian Games debutant Bertrand Rhodict in the men’s 10m platform synchro final at the Hangzhou Aquatic Sports Centre last night.
The two teenagers from Sarawak had been in silver medal position but were pipped by South Koreans Yi Jae-gyeong-Kim Yeong-nam in the sixth and final dive.
The Korean pair snatched the silver with their last dive, earning 75.60 to finish with 387.78 points.
Enrique-Bertrand, who garnered 68.31 for their sixth dive, were pushed to bronze medal position with 386.07 points.
Reigning Olympic and world champions Yang Hao-Lian Junjie led from start till the end of the six-dive competition to secure the fourth diving gold medal for China with a total of 492.63 points.
The two Asian Games rookies were not disappointed after having given their all to ensure Malaysia’s place on the podium after missing out in the previous edition in Indonesia five years ago.
Ooi Tze Liang-Chew Yiwei were the last Malaysian pair to win a medal in this event when they took bronze in Incheon in 2014.
“I started to get muscle cramp in my calf towards the end of the competition but I kept going as I wanted to finish all my dives.
“There was pressure for us but we managed to perform our dives without big mistakes, so I am happy.
“It’s also my only event as I injured my shoulder while training in Sichuan before coming here.
“I can’t compete in the individual event as it would require me to perform the armstand routine, so I am happy with this medal,” said Enrique.
Bertrand, who has already qualified for the Paris Olympics in the 10m platform individual, said he knew the fight for the silver would be difficult.
“We knew it was not going to be easy as the Koreans had a higher difficulty level (3.6) for the last dive and they would get the silver if the entry was okay.
“On the other hand, we had a lower difficulty (0.3).
“Still, we are happy as we trained hard for this Asian Games and we got a personal best.
“This is only our third competition together. We have a long way to go,” said the 18-year-old.
