KUCHING: Who is this young Sarawakian diving sensation who has captured the hearts of many on social media with his calm yet charming persona?
His journey from a young boy captivated by the water to a dominant force on the diving platform is nothing short of pure passion and hard work.
He’s Elvis Priestly, and he’s only 18.
In every dive, whether on the springboard or platform, Elvis exhibits a tranquil focus, executing each manoeuvre with precision and grace.
His commitment to perfecting his craft is evident in his outstanding performances, consistently landing him on the podium in every of his event.
Elvis’s journey into the world of competitive diving was driven by a simple yet powerful goal: to make his parents proud.
“When I was younger, I struggled with academics. I never imagined I’d take up diving, but I always loved swimming.
“I realised that if I couldn’t excel in school, I could excel in diving and at least make my family proud,” he shared.
Elvis Priestly?
One thing many wonder – why the name Elvis Priestly?
Is it a tribute to the legendary Elvis Presley? Was his parents an Elvis Presley fan?
Well, it’s all so simple.
His parents Clement Merom and Stephanie Meresit, both 43, shed light on the name that came from a friend.
“The name ‘Elvis Priestly’ came from a friend suggested it, since his sister was named Madonna. I didn’t know much about the connection between Elvis and Madonna back then; I probably thought they were siblings.
“For his sister Madonna, it was her grandfather who named her,” said Clement.
Growing up as a quiet and introverted child, Clement said that Elvis didn’t socialise as much as other kids, but was drawn to water.
“He couldn’t resist any sight of water; whenever he saw a river or a pool, he wanted to swim,” the father said.
“When I was training for swimming, I took him to the pool and he showed a lot of interest in the pool,” he recalled.
Elvis’s path to diving was set in motion when he was just in primary one.
After receiving an athlete selection form from the Sarawak Sports Council, young Elvis confidently handed it to his father and insisted on going to the pool the next day.
“Dad, tomorrow you need to take me to the pool, here’s the letter,” young Elvis told his father.
Clement said he was clueless about what the form was for, but he and Stephanie took him – and the rest was history.
“After that, he kept diving, diving, and diving. His determination was evident,” Clement said.
Behind the platform
However, Elvis is not just an exceptional diver, but just like any other young person, he enjoys going out with friends and playing snooker.
“I enjoy playing with my friends outside of training, mostly playing snooker.
“Other than that, I enjoy going out with my friends, or if we’re all too tired, we all just sleep in our rooms,” he said.
Other than diving, Elvis enjoys sepak takraw, futsal, and football for fun.
He even has a quirky secret that probably led Elvis’s success: “I eat everything, but not vegetables,” he confessed.
Looking ahead, Elvis aims to continue achieving his diving goals while also dreaming of opening a snooker business someday.
“I do plan to reach my diving goals, but I want to open a snooker business since I enjoy playing snooker,” he said.
He draws inspiration from himself, following his coach’s advice to focus on self-improvement rather than trying to emulate others.
“My inspiration is myself because my coach told me it’s not worth trying to be like someone else; I should work on improving myself,” he explained.
Though Elvis has finished his 21st SUKMA (Malaysia Games) 2024 events, the grind doesn’t stop as he returns back to Kuala Lumpur to train at his school (Bukit Jalil Sports School).
“There’s no rest for me after this, I would be going back to train my mental and physical being for the upcoming qualifying World Aquatics Junior Diving championships,” he said.
Hardships and challenges
Elvis began his training at the tender age of seven, and 11 years later, his parents reflect on the sacrifices and challenges he has faced.
“Within Elvis’s determination, I do feel sad as a parent.
“I even cried seeing him go through such tough trainings and getting scolded for his mistakes, though it’s necessary,” Clement admitted.
As a football and rugby player, Clement said that diving trainings are on another level.
“I know how rugby and football training works and it’s more about playing the sport, but diving training is really, really tough,” he said.
A mother’s heart breaks to see her son go through such tough training.
“I do cry and I pity him, but I know it’s needed for him to reach such a level,” said Stephanie with tears in her eyes.
His parents have made significant sacrifices, particularly with the limited time they spend with Elvis.
“We rarely get to see him because he only comes home once a year, and even then, it’s only for two or three days before heading back.
“Every time his grandfather would ask when he’s coming back to the village, but there’s no time to bring him because of the tight schedule and that’s how it is every year,” he said.
First-time experience watching Elvis
“This is the first time we’ve seen him compete.
In 2022, it was held in Kuala Lumpur and we couldn’t attend because of work,” Clement said.
Stephanie couldn’t hold back her tears watching her son compete in the 21st SUKMA 2024.
“I’m really, really proud, that’s all I can say. We wouldn’t miss it for the world since it’s held in Kuching this year,” she said.
Clement shared that he has seen the amount of effort Elvis has put in and is evident in his performances.
“I know how much effort he has put in. I see that he’s not just messing around over there.
“Every time I call him and ask him how training is going, he says it’s going well, and true enough he has performed and proven he’s not fooling around,” he said.
Clement’s advice to Elvis was not to be overconfident, especially since his competitors are his roommates and share the same coach.
“My words of encouragement were not to be overconfident because his competitors were his roommates from the Federal Territories and Sabah – they had trained together and shared the same coach.
“Clear your mind, don’t overthink, and just dive,” he advised.
Hope for the future
Elvis has set his sights high, with dreams of competing in the Olympics.
“This year, I’m aiming to get on the podium in the World Aquatics Junior Diving Championships in Rio de Janeiro, but I do hope to compete in the Olympics one day,” he said.
His parents echo this ambition, expressing their joy and hope that Elvis’s success will bring blessings to their family and state.
“We would be very, very happy if he made it to the Olympics. It would be a blessing for Sarawak and our family.
We live a simple life. We’ve already let him pursue his dreams in sports,” Clement said.
With a gold in the men’s 3m springboard event, another gold in the men’s synchronised 10m platform event with Enrique Maccartney Harold, and a silver in the men’s 10m platform, Elvis Priestly Clement has indeed made Sarawak proud.
