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Sports

Tuesday February 17, 2009

Elizabeth bags her first medal to cap successful outing for divers

PETALING JAYA: Elizabeth Jimie bagged her first individual medal to close off a successful outing for the Malaysian diving squad at the opening leg of the FINA World Diving Grand Prix in Shenzhen yesterday.

The 17-year-old from Sarawak underlined her potential to take over the mantle as the country’s top woman diver by beating her more experienced team-mate Leong Mun Yee by the closest of margins in the women’s 3m springboard final.

Elizabeth secured the bronze with 286.50 while Mun Yee garnered 286.10.

He Zi of China secured her second title easily with a winning total of 386.55 ahead of compatriot Wang Han, who chalked up 356.40.

Elizabeth had partnered Mun Yee to win the silver in the women’s 3m springboard synchronised final two days earlier.

In 2006, Elizabeth won the 1m springboard event at the World Junior Championships in Kuala Lumpur and bagged two bronze medals at the Doha Asian Games.

Elizabeth made her Olympic debut in Beijing last year but her major test will be the World Championships in Rome later this year.

Yeoh Ken Nee failed in his bid to claim a second medal when he finished fourth in the men’s 3m springboard final.

Ken Nee earned 472.80 points to finish behind Russian Alexandr Dobroskok, who had 478.40.

Zhang Xinhua of China earned 542.10 to beat team-mate and world champion Qin Kai, who accumulated 530.80, to win the gold for China.

Malaysia claimed a total of five medals (two silvers and three bronzes) but diving powerhouse China, as expected, swept all eight titles at stake.

The next leg of the Diving Grand Prix will be held at Rostock, Germany from Feb 27 to March 1.

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