Three gold target as divers aim to make Sarawak proud

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Wee (second right, back row) and Asas secretary Anthony Kong (right) posing with the divers and officials at the Pandelela Rinong Aquatic Centre in Petra Jaya on Thursday.

KUCHING: The Amateur Swimming Association of Sarawak (Asas) is looking for the next big thing in diving.

“Who knows, our state divers could match or, even better, outperform diving queen Pandelela Rinong or Cheong Jun Hoong in the next four years,” said Asas president Dato Wee Hong Seng after presenting incentives to the seven-member diving team bound for Sukma XIX, at the Pandelela Rinong Aquatic Centre on Thursday.

Wee said the association is hoping that divers can achieve the three-gold medal target and do Sarawak proud at the Games.

“We are giving incentives to our divers to encourage them to do well at Sukma and hope that they will continue to work even harder after Perak Sukma.

“They are very young and some of them are making their first appearance in Sukma which will be a different arena for them.

“We try to support and encourage them.

“We are looking at the grass roots development and prepare them for bigger meets in the future,” added Wee.

Sarawak are represented by SEA Games bronze medallist Kimberly Bong Qian Ping, Eilisha Rania Abrial Rajagopal, Dayang Nurshazyra Awang Nasaruddin, Enricque Maccartney Harold, Bertrand Phodict Lises, Awang Shazran Awang Nasaruddin and Elvis Priestly Clement.

Kimberly is Sarawak’s main gold medal prospect in diving but as a member of the national senior team, her participation is limited to two events – the women’s individual 10m platform and 10m synchronised platform.