Yeoh Ken Nee
PETALING JAYA: Former Olympics springboard finalist Yeoh Ken Nee is the new technical director for Malaysian diving team.
Ken Nee was announced today as the replacement for Bryan Nickson Lomas, who resigned from the post in January.
Bryan, who held the position since October of 2022, has left for a coaching job abroad.
Interestingly, Ken Nee and Bryan formed a successful partnership to make the podium in the men's 3m springboard synchro at the SEA Games, Commonwealth Games and Asian Games during their heydays.
Malaysia Swimming Federation (MSF) secretary Andy Low said Ken Nee signed the contract with the national body and National Sports Council yesterday.
"We picked Ken Nee due to his expertise and extensive experience in the sport.
"He will continue with the plans laid out by Bryan and make improvements where necessary," said Andy.
Ken Nee, 41 and a father of two kids, was part of the pioneer batch of divers recruited to start full time training for the first time to prepare for the 1998 Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpur.
He was the first male diving gold medallist for Malaysia, sweeping the men’s 3m springboard and 10m platform individual titles at the 1999 Brunei SEA Games.
Ken Nee was also the first Malaysian to stand on the Commonwealth Games podium for diving 19 years ago - grabbing silver in the men’s 1m springboard individual in Melbourne (2006).
Ken Nee, who is from Kuala Lumpur, also made Olympic history for Malaysia as the first male diver to qualify for the final, finishing 10th in the men’s 3m springboard individual event in London in 2012.
He retired from competitive diving after the London Olympics and eventually went into coaching.
