SEPANG: National divers are ready to accept the challenge of coach Christian Brooker to ensure more divers qualify for the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo, Japan.
So far only female divers Pandelela Rinong, Leong Mun Yee, Wendy Ng Yan Yee and Nur Dhabitah Sabri have secured their slots to the biggest sporting event in the world.
However, there is still no involvement from the men’s diving team in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics while the 2020 FINA Diving World Cup in Japan from April 21-26, will be their last qualifying competition.
National male divers like Ooi Tze Liang and Chew Yiwei have shown great motivation by winning the gold medal at the 2019 SEA Games in the Philippines.
Tze Liang retained the men’s individual 3m gold medal and secured his second gold after winning the synchronised springboard event with Yiwei.
“What the coaches said motivated us to give our best at the SEA Games. We will try our best because the opportunity to qualify for the Olympics is still there.
“Divers need to make sure that what has been learnt over the years is executed as best as they can. We only have about four months left before the World Cup.
“We have to make sure our physical condition is at its best without any injury that could impede our performance,” Tze Liang told Bernama when met at KLIA.
Tze Liang, 26, admitted he was both excited and nervous to compete at the World Cup especially given the huge task.
The first time the Penang-born competed in the Olympics was at the 2016 edition in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Meanwhile, Yiwei, who wants to make his dream of the Olympics a reality for the first time, will make sure he is injury-free and gets enough training. – Bernama
