Bukit Jalil: National backup diver Nurqayyum Nazmi overcame a recent bout of fever to deliver the gold medal with partner Yong Rui Jie in the men's synchronised 3 metre (m) springboard diving event at the second edition of the National Diving Trials today.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Nurqayyum-Rui Jie amassed a total score of 343.80 points, stunning their seniors and former Commonwealth Games medallists, Muhammad Syafiq Puteh-Gabriel Gilbert Daim, who had to settle for silver with 340.62 points, while Sarawak's Awang Sharzan Nasrin-Soh Tze Kang took home bronze with 295.86 points.
Today's result at the National Aquatic Centre in Bukit Jalil saw Nurqayyum-Rui Jie surpass the junior Minimum Qualifying Standard (MQS) of 340 points. Nurqayyum admitted that he felt worried about not being able to dive in the pool after just recovering from such an illness. "I am very proud of our achievements today even though I just recovered from a fever today. We are also happy to have surpassed the junior MQS," he said when met after the prize presentation ceremony.
In the meantime, Rui Jie admitted to feeling tired after he won the men's 1m springboard gold earlier today. "We didn't make too many mistakes, so I'm satisfied with the win," he said. Rui Jie clinched gold with 312.75 points, thus surpassing the junior MQS of 280 points to finish ahead of Awang Sharzan with 282.35 points and Muhammad Syafiq with 279.75 points.
In the men's synchronised 10m platform, Enrique Maccartney Harold-Elvis Priestly Clement impressed with 400.11 points, well past the senior MQS of 360, to take gold followed by backup-podium combination of Jared Aiden Haroid-Anilrian Normatrud with 340.86 points, and Perak's Megat Azim Hakimi-Asyraaf Haikal Asyrad with 244.14 points.
In the women's synchronised 10m platform, diving queen Datuk Pandelela Rinong had no problem eclipsing the senior MQS of 270 as she and partner Lee Yiat Qing topped the charts with 281.61 points. Backup duo Eilisha Rania Abrar Raj-Nurul Farisya Alia Affendi took silver with 260.70 points, while bronze went to Cecelia Olivia from the backup squad, who partnered Nur Aryna Balqis Afendi of Sarawak with 219.81 points.
MQS is the scoring benchmark that national divers must achieve to qualify for international competitions and represent the country.