Future hopes spring forth after Ong-Lee’s strong push to bronze

Sensational: Ong Ker Ying and Lee Yiat Qing competing in the women’s synchronized 3m springboard final. — AP

 

ONG Ker Ying-Lee Yiat Qing showed there is hope for the future in the springboard discipline after producing a fighting performance to clinch the bronze for Malaysia at the Asian Games.

They had a slim chance to take silver in the women’s 3m springboard synchronised final yesterday but South Korea’s stronger final dive left the Malaysians with bronze at the Tokyo Aquatics Centre.

Ker Ying-Yiat Qing finished the five-dive competition with 243.72 points to secure the second bronze for Malaysia in as many days.

Yong Rui Jie-Mohd Nurqayyum Nazmi Mohd Nazim had won the men’s 3m springboard synchronised bronze on Saturday.

China’s Chen Yi Wen-Chen Jia cruised to the gold with 328.56 points ahead of South Korea’s Kim Su-ji-Kim Nah-yun, who settled for silver with 254.70.

Malaysian diving technical director Yeoh Ken Nee said the pair had performed well despite missing out on second place.

“After four rounds, the Koreans led the Malaysians by just 5.58 points,” said Ken Nee.

“Ker Ying-Yiat Qing’s final dive scored 52.20 but the Koreans recovered with a 57.60 dive to seal the silver.

“We had a chance to take silver but overall our divers did a great job and deserve credit for their efforts.

“Yiat Qing handled the pressure very well for someone making her Asian Games debut. It is also good for Ker Ying as she had not won a medal in the springboard discipline at a major multi-sport Games for some time because of recurring injuries.

“It’s good for their confidence to know that they can be competitive in the springboard as we do not have Nor Dhabitah Sabri with us this time,” said Ken Nee.

Dhabitah had partnered Wendy Ng Yan Yee to clinch silver in this event at the last Asiad in Hangzhou three years ago.

RESULTS

Men

10m platform synchronised: 1: Yang Hao–Lian Junjie (Chn) 465.54, 2. Elvis Priestly Clement–Enrique Maccartney Harold (Mas) 377.52, 3. Shin Jung-hwi–Kim Young-taek (Kor) 375.90.

Women’s

3m springboard synchronised: 1. Chen Yiwen-Chen Jia (Chn) 328.56, 2. Kim Su-ji-Kim Na-hyun (Kor) 254.70, 3. Ong Ker Ying-Lee Yiat Qing (Mas) 243.72.