Latest news with #KenNee
New Straits Times
2 days ago
- Sport
- New Straits Times
Injury puts Pandelela's individual event hopes in doubt
KUALA LUMPUR: It remains unknown whether two-time Olympic medallist Pandelela Rinong can compete in the women's 10m platform individual diving event at the World Aquatics Championships in Singapore tomorrow (July 30). Pandelela and partner Lee Yiat Qing were forced to withdraw from the women's 10m platform synchronised event preliminaries after just two dives yesterday (July 28) due to an injury suffered by Pandelela. Malaysia Aquatics diving technical director Yeoh Ken Nee said Pandelela's condition will be assessed prior to the individual event. "Unfortunately, Pandelela injured her shoulder during the warm-up for the competition today (July 28)," said Ken Nee last night. "We will have to wait and see how her shoulder is before we decide if she is able to continue and compete in the individual event on July 30th (tomorrow). "At the moment we are leaving it to the physio (to treat her)." It is understood that Pandelela had injured her shoulder last month but had been able to manage the injury through physiotherapy. The 32-year-old, however, tweaked her shoulder again during the warm-up for the 10m platform synchronised event yesterday. Pandelela had competed alongside Yiat Qing, Elvis Clement and Enrique Harold in the mixed 3m and 10m team event on Saturday (July 26), finishing 16th from 21 teams. Ken Nee said he was pleased with the performances of the younger divers in the squad. "Our young divers have done their best in this World Championships. They are still gaining experience so results-wise, we have to be patient," said Ken Nee. Elvis-Enrique will take to the pool for the men's 10m platform synchronised event later today.
New Straits Times
30-06-2025
- Sport
- New Straits Times
Diving: Malaysia's rivals catching up
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia may not be able to dominate diving at the Sea Games like before. National diving technical director Yeoh Ken Nee, who raised the alarm, said the rivals from neighbouring countries are already executing dives of a higher Degree of Difficulty (DD), as seen at the recent SEA Age Group Championships in Singapore. Despite emerging as overall champions with 13 gold, eight silver and four bronze at the SEA Championships, Malaysia would face strong opposition at the 2027 Sea Games if the trend continues. Singapore were second (eight gold, five silver, four bronze) and Vietnam were third (two gold, seven silver, nine bronze). "I'm satisfied that we achieved our target by emerging overall champions. However, we must be cautious. The DD of our neighbours is higher than ours," said Ken Nee. "We will be hosting the Sea Games in 2027, and if their divers continue to improve, they could very well win gold on our home turf." Ken Nee said he will meet with national coaching staff to devise a plan to address the matter. "Our divers won (in Singapore) because they were more consistent, but to progress internationally, we must raise our DD."
New Straits Times
07-06-2025
- Sport
- New Straits Times
Malaysian women's springboard divers will be missing for the first time
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia will, for the first time, not be represented in women's springboard at the World Aquatics Championships, to be held in Singapore from July 11-Aug 3. With three-time Olympian Nur Dhabitah Sabri on an indefinite break from competition, there is no suitable replacement. As none of the back-up divers met the Minimum Qualifying Standard (MQS) set by Malaysia Aquatics (MAS), it has opted not to field anyone in the springboard events. "It's a different selection process this time. Divers had to meet the MQS at two out of three designated competitions," said MAS diving technical director Yeoh Ken Nee. "Unfortunately, none of the back-up divers qualified for the women's springboard events, so we will not be sending anyone." Identifying a successor to Dhabitah has proved to be challenging, especially after Dayang Nursharzyra Awang Nasaruddin withdrew from the national back-up programme earlier this year due to a back injury. Ken Nee said last month that MAS was in the process of transitioning senior platform divers to the springboard discipline to strengthen a department currently lacking depth and quality. MAS will be sending its smallest contingent to the World Championships in years, with only seven divers selected. Pandelela Rinong and Sea Games gold medallist Lee Yiat Qing will carry the country's hopes in the women's 10m individual and synchronised platform events. In the men's 10m platform, Enrique Harold Maccartney and Elvis Priestly Anak Clement will compete in the individual event and team up for the synchronised discipline. Veteran Syafiq Puteh will lead Malaysia's charge in the individual men's 3m springboard event. Juniors Nurqayyum Nazmi Nazim and Yong Rui Jie are set to make their World Championships debut, featuring in the 3m synchronised and 1m springboard events, respectively. "They're not going just for experience — we're hopeful they can reach a few finals," added Ken Nee.
New Straits Times
07-06-2025
- Sport
- New Straits Times
Malaysian women will be missing for the first time
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia will, for the first time, not be represented in women's springboard at the World Aquatics Championships, to be held in Singapore from July 11-Aug 3. With three-time Olympian Nur Dhabitah Sabri on an indefinite break from competition, there is no suitable replacement. As none of the back-up divers met the Minimum Qualifying Standard (MQS) set by Malaysia Aquatics (MAS), it has opted not to field anyone in the springboard events. "It's a different selection process this time. Divers had to meet the MQS at two out of three designated competitions," said MAS diving technical director Yeoh Ken Nee. "Unfortunately, none of the back-up divers qualified for the women's springboard events, so we will not be sending anyone." Identifying a successor to Dhabitah has proved to be challenging, especially after Dayang Nursharzyra Awang Nasaruddin withdrew from the national back-up programme earlier this year due to a back injury. Ken Nee said last month that MAS was in the process of transitioning senior platform divers to the springboard discipline to strengthen a department currently lacking depth and quality. MAS will be sending its smallest contingent to the World Championships in years, with only seven divers selected. Pandelela Rinong and Sea Games gold medallist Lee Yiat Qing will carry the country's hopes in the women's 10m individual and synchronised platform events. In the men's 10m platform, Enrique Harold Maccartney and Elvis Priestly Anak Clement will compete in the individual event and team up for the synchronised discipline. Veteran Syafiq Puteh will lead Malaysia's charge in the individual men's 3m springboard event. Juniors Nurqayyum Nazmi Nazim and Yong Rui Jie are set to make their World Championships debut, featuring in the 3m synchronised and 1m springboard events, respectively. "They're not going just for experience — we're hopeful they can reach a few finals," added Ken Nee.
New Straits Times
12-05-2025
- Sport
- New Straits Times
MAS looks to reassign divers in a bid to strengthen springboard department
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia Aquatics (MAS) is looking to encourage senior women's national platform divers to switch to the springboard discipline due to a shortage of strong talent in the latter. MAS diving technical director Yeoh Ken Nee said there is currently an imbalance of talent in the women's squad. Traditionally, the platform discipline has delivered more medals for Malaysia in global competitions such as the Olympics and the World Championships through divers such as Pandelela Rinong, Cheong Jun Hoong and Datuk Leong Mun Yee. "We have to admit that we currently don't have strong female divers in the springboard discipline," said Ken Nee recently. "We have more female divers coming through the ranks in the platform at the moment. "So we are looking to encourage senior divers, who may no longer wish to compete in the platform, to consider switching to the springboard. Ken Nee added that switching to the springboard discipline, which places a lesser physical strain on the body, could help extend the careers of the senior divers. He, however, stressed youth development remains a priority across both disciplines. "At least they (seniors) can continue their careers in the springboard," said Ken Nee. "But at the same time we are also pushing for young divers development to ensure we have a more even distribution of talent across the two disciplines in the future." On a separate note, Ken Nee said Elvis Priestly Clement-Enrique Maccartney Harold have essentially secured their spot in the squad for the Singapore World Championships (July 11-Aug 3). The duo dominated the field at the recent National Diving Trials on Saturday (May 10) in the men's 10m platform synchronised event. They clinched gold on a six-dive total of 400.11 which comfortably exceeded MAS's Minimum Qualifying Standard (MQS) of 360 points. "They've surpassed the MQS more than three times, so they are certainly qualified to represent the country at the World Championships," said Ken Nee. "However, we still need to deliberate with the diving committee before finalising the squad for Singapore." To put their achievement into perspective, their score would have secured fourth place at last year's World Championships in Doha and sixth at the Paris Olympics.
