PHNOM PENH, May 11 — Truly unstoppable!
After taking home all eight golds offered in the 2021 SEA Games in Hanoi, Vietnam, debutant Enrique Maccartney Harold ensured Malaysia’s domination as he wrapped up a clean sweep of all diving events at the 2023 SEA Games, earlier today.
In the men’s 10 metres (m) platform held in Morodok Techo Aquatics Centre, Enrique was in a class of his own as he raked in 442.95 points after six rounds of dives, to deliver Malaysia’s fourth gold in diving.
Even sweeter, Malaysia enjoyed a one-two podium finish as another national diver, Bertrand Rhodict Lises, earned silver with 384.00 points
Bronze went to Singapore’s Shen Oon Max Lee who collected 362.80 points.
Meanwhile, Enrique admitted Bertrand had given a great fight even though luck was indeed on the 20-year-old diver’s side to walk out from the pool as the champion.
“When I dived I did not think about anything and did what I could because I know Bertrand is my strong rival and I know what kind of dive he has,” he told the Malaysian media after the medal ceremony.
Enrique said this was due to the fact that Bertrand had performed a slightly higher difficulty but a few series of poor dives had denied a chance for his teammate to claim the gold medal.
In the meantime, the Sarawakian athlete said his golden splash in Cambodia had motivated him to try his luck of making a cut in the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.
“It will be difficult to get to Paris but I will fight to go there. I also hope that I can win a medal in the World Championships in Tokyo this July as well as perform better in the next Asian Games in Hangzhou, China,” he said.
Last Monday, Kimberly Bong kicked off the ‘party’ for the national diving camp here after winning gold in the women’s 3m springboard individual and Muhammad Syafiq Puteh, on the other hand, contributed the second gold in men’s 3m springboard individual.
Yesterday, 15-year-old diver, Lee Yiat Qing sprang a surprise as she splashed her way to gold number three for Malaysia in the pool after winning the women’s platform event in her first appearance at the biennial Games.
— Bernama
