Kimberly-Ong hit it off after two weeks to win surprise silver

In sync: Divers Kimberly Bong and Ong Ker Ying delivered a silver medal for Malaysia in the women’s 3m springboard synchro final.

PETALING JAYA: Divers Kimberly Bong-Ong Ker Ying were only paired off for the first time two weeks ago but that did not stop them from pulling off a surprise performance for Malaysia at the World University Games (WUG) in Chengdu, China.

The scratch pairing delivered a silver medal for Malaysia in the women’s 3m springboard synchro final after collecting 257.82 points at the Jiangyang Cultural and Sports Centre Natatorium yesterday.

China’s Chen Jia-Yang Ruiilin clinched the gold medal after collecting 330.75 points while Italians Neroni Elettra- Borello Matildo picked up the bronze medal with 237.30.

Kimberly-Ker Ying were ranked second after the first two compulsory routines but slipped to fourth behind Italy and South Korea with one dive to go.

But the Malaysian pair managed to execute their fifth and final dive well enough to pip the Italians to the silver medal and push Koreans Jung Da-yeon-Ko Hyeon-ju, who finished with 223.89 points, out of the podium.

Kimberly-Ker Ying scored their highest mark of 56.88 for their final dive.

Kimberly-Ker Ying have thus equalled Malaysia’s best achievement in diving at the WUG as Pandelela Rinong also won silver in the women’s 10m platform individual at the 2011 edition in Shenzhen, China.

Pandelela also combined with Leong Mun Yee to deliver the bronze medal in the women’s 10m platform synchro in Shenzhen at that time.

Ker Ying’s performance with Kimberly will also give the national diving squad another option as the back-up pair in the 3m springboard synchro for seniors Wendy Ng Yan Yee-Nur Dhabitah Sabri.

“This is an unexpected outcome for us. We are very satisfied and very pleased with this achievement especially as we have never partnered each other before,” said Ker Ying, who is bound for the Hangzhou Asian Games next month.

“We only managed to come together to train two weeks ago and also after we arrived here.

“It could be because there is chemistry between the two of us and the outcome is so good.’’

The silver medal win brings the Malaysian contingent’s medal haul in Chengdu to one gold, one silver and four bronze medals.

Meanwhile, the men’s taekwondo team were eliminated in the round of 16 by Taiwan (0-1) while Andre Anura Anuar finished eighth in the men’s triple jump final with 15.84m.