Running out of steam: Nur Dhabitah Sabri in action in the 1m springboard individual final. — S.S. KANESAN/The Star
NUR Dhabitah Sabri is human after all. After consistently delivering medals in her earlier events, she finally failed to get a podium finish.
The 24-year-old could only manage fourth place in the women’s 1m springboard individual final as her campaign came to an end at the Hangzhou Aquatic Sports Centre yesterday.
Dhabitah was lying in bronze medal position after the fourth dive but her final entry was not so tidy and only earned her 52.00 to finish with 261.85 points.
South Korean Kim Su-ji, who earned 58.50 for her fifth and final dive, retained the bronze medal she won in the last Asiad in Jakarta five years ago with her total of 267.10 points.
China, as expected, claimed the gold and silver through Li Yajie (317.55) and Lin Shan (303.80).
Yajie and Lin Shan are the respective world championships gold medallists for China for 2022 and 2023.
Dhabitah, who won a silver and a bronze earlier, has decided to skip the women’s 3m springboard individual competition tomorrow. Cambodia SEA Games winner Kimberly Bong will thus be the only Malaysian representative in the event.
Dhabitah is the only diver in the team competing in three events.
“I could compete in many events, up to four in Indonesia five years ago. But my body is not the same any more, although people can say I am still young at 24.
“I can feel the ache here and there, and my wrist hurts. It’s just better for me to focus on three events. I am still grateful as I have managed to win medals in the first two days,” said Dhabitah, who has been nursing a wrist injury for the last few months.
She partnered Pandelela Rinong to take bronze in the women’s 10m platform synchro on Saturday and combined with Wendy Ng Yan Yee to contribute silver in the 3m springboard synchro the following day.
“I know I can be better but I have no regrets. It’s not easy at this level,” said Dhabitah, who also finished fourth in the 1m springboard individual in Indonesia.
Malaysia have picked up four diving medals so far in Hangzhou. Two more bronze medals came from Ooi Tze Liang-Mohd Syafiq Puteh (men’s 3m springboard synchro) and Enrique Maccartney Harold-Bertrand Rhodict (men’s 10m platform synchro).
In the men’s 1m springboard competition, Hanis Nazirul Jaya Surya came in sixth with a total of 296.15 points.
It is the second Asian Games appearance for the 22-year-old, having finished fifth with Jellson Jabillin in the men’s 10m platform synchro event in Indonesia five years ago.
