KUALA LUMPUR, May 12 — The Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah and the Raja Permaisuri Agong Tunku Hajah Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah today congratulated the national diving squad for winning eight gold medals in the 31st SEA Games in Hanoi, Vietnam.
Istana Negara, in a posting on its official Facebook page, said Their Majesties also expressed their joy and pride over the squad’s outstanding success in defending its overall title in diving events since the 2013 Myanmar SEA Games.
“Their Majesties hoped that this excellent achievement will be an inspiration to other athletes to strive and give their best performance in their quest for gold at the Games,” read the posting.
Al-Sultan Abdullah and Tunku Azizah also wished them good luck and prayed that they achieve success.
The national diving squad presented Malaysia with gold in the women’s 1-metre (m) springboard individual event (Nur Dhabitah Sabri), men’s 3-m springboard synchronised event (Chew Yi Wei and Ooi Tze Liang), 1-m springboard (Tze Liang), women’s 3-m synchronised springboard (Ng Yan Yee and Ong Ker Ying) and women’s 3-m springboard (Yan Yee).
Malaysia also bagged gold in the men’s 10-m synchronised platform (Jellson Jabillin and Hanis Nazirul Jaya Surya), men’s 3-m springboard (Muhammad Syafiq Puteh) and women’s 10-m synchronised platform (Datuk Pandelela Rinong and Nur Dhabitah).
The diving squad also won three silver medals through Kimberly Bong (women’s 1-m springboard), Ker Ying (women’s 3-m springboard) and Gabriel Gilbert Daim (men’s 3-m springboard) and bagged one bronze through Bertrand Rhodict (men’s 1-m springboard).
In another Facebook post, Al-Sultan Abdullah and Tunku Azizah also congratulated the country’s hearing-impaired women’s doubles badminton athletes, Boon Wei Ying and Foo Zu Tung for winning the gold medal at the 24th Deaflympic Games, in Caxias do Sul, Brazil.
Their Majesties expressed their joy and pride over the athletes’ feat, which has elevated Malaysia’s name in the international arena.
“With this historic victory, they ended the country’s 21-year wait for a gold medal at the Deaflympics Games after Zana Azizul Ujang bagged gold at the Rome Deaflympics Games, Italy in 2001,” according to the post.
Their Majesties also wished good luck to both athletes and prayed that they are blessed with continued success.
The duo emerged champions after defeating the world’s number one pair from Taiwan, Fan Jung-yu – Shen Yan-ru, 21 – 17, 17 – 2, 21 – 15.
— Bernama
