Yiat Qing leads the way as M’sia win four golds in Bangkok

PETALING JAYA: Teenager Lee Yiat Qing showed she is next in line to replace Pandelela Rinong as the next women’s platform diving champion.

The 18-year-old led the way as Malay­sia’s next generation divers impressed with a four-gold feat for the country in the Asian Age-Group Championships in Bangkok, Thailand.

Yiat Qing dominated the girls’ Group A platform competition yesterday to claim gold with 377.90 points, finishing an impressive 37.75 points ahead of Japan’s Inoue Yuna in second place.

Taiwan’s Barbara Chen took bronze with 292.80 points, more than 85 points behind the Malaysian winner.

Yiat Qing did not simply reach the podium but also secured the individual gold she had been chasing throughout the championship.

After narrowly missing the podium with fifth place in the 3m springboard and fourth place in the 1m springboard, Yiat Qing returned for her final individual event with a performance that left no doubt.

It is the same event where she made a stunning SEA Games debut for Malaysia by winning the gold in Cambodia three years ago and it is also her new personal best score.

Yiat Qing and Cecelia Olivia delivered Malaysia’s first medal of the championship by winning silver in the girls’ Group A and B synchronised platform event (217.71 points).

“Yiat Qing is confirmed for the Asian Games in September in Japan now that she has left her mark in the Asian Age-Group.

“She will be competing in the 10m platform individual and also with Pandelela in the 10m platform synchronised event.

“Hopefully, she will gain from the experience in her Asiad debut,” said diving technical director Yeoh Ken Nee.

Arif Aisy Rossharisham, son of former Asian Games silver medallist diver Rossharisham Roslan, also impressed by making it to the top of the podium in his debut.

The 15-year-old bagged gold in the boys’ Group B 3m springboard individual competition and silver in the 1m springboard individual.

Jared Aiden Harold claimed gold for Malaysia in the boys’ Group A 1m springboard individual and bronze in the 3m springboard competition.

Jared and Muhd Lutfir Rahman had earlier struck gold in the boys’ Group A and B 3m synchronised springboard with 234.78 points, edging Kazakhstan’s 230.04 points in a thrilling battle for the top spot.

Altogether, Malaysia also won seven silver and five bronze medals in the diving competition.