ALLOW ME TO FOCUS ON STUDIES: File picture of triple Olympian diver Bryan Nickson Lomas who is determined to skip diving to focus on completing his university studies this year. — AFP photo
Determined to complete studies, Bryan to skip competing in 2013
KUCHING: Sarawak’s Olympic diver, Bryan Nickson Lomas, is determined to complete his studies at Universiti Malaya (UM) and he plans to skip diving at the moment just to achieve that.
“I will not take part in any competition this year because I need to complete my studies…I should be in my final year right now but it had to be deferred again,” said the sports science undergraduate.
“It has been the same thing every time I want to finish my studies but all the travelling and overseas competitions have forced me to skip my classes,” said the 2004 world junior diving champion.
Bryan who was contacted by phone yesterday said his decision was final and he expressed hope for others to respect that.
Amateur Swimming Association of Malaysia (ASUM) secretary Edwin Chong was quoted by the media recently that Bryan is tipped to compete in the men’s individual and synchro 3m springboard in the upcoming FINA Diving World Series which starts on March 15 at Beijing, China.
Bryan and his diving partner Huang Qiang are expected to spearhead Malaysia’s challenge in this year’s World Series after they became the first Malaysian pair to win the bronze medal at last year’s FINA Diving World Cup held in London.
The win had earned them a berth at the 2012 London Olympics.
Last year, they had also won gold at the Canada Open Diving Championship held in Montreal, Quebec and then a bronze at the US Open.
Though the pair did not fare as well in the London Olympics, they helped Malaysia to finish at number five in the FINA 2013 men’s diving rankings.
This entitled them to compete in this year’s World Series which only feature the top-eight ranked divers in the world.
Meanwhile, Olympic bronze medallist Pandelela Rinong Pamg, who is now ranked fourth by FINA, is confirmed competing in the women’s individual and synchro platform events.
Pandelela who is also studying in the same faculty with Bryan will be skipping her classes in order to join the 16-member national elite diving squad for a training stint at Dali, China early next month.
But the lure of competing in the prestigious World Series will not change Bryan’s decision because he is determined to concentrate on his studies.
“I had been delaying my studies since coming here in 2009 and now it is about time for me to complete it,” said the 23-year-old Olympian who had competed in the 2004, 2008 and 2012 Olympics.