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Thursday February 26, 2009

Divers leave for Germany without Bryan

By LIM TEIK HUAT

PETALING JAYA: The Malaysian squad left for the second leg of the FINA World Diving Grand Prix in Rostock, Germany, yesterday without Bryan Nickson Lomas, who has been excluded to allow him to work on new dive routines.

Also out of the team are platform divers Pandelela Rinong and Traisy Vivian. The two youngsters need to keep up with their studies in the Bukit Jalil Sports School.

With the omission of the trio, Malaysia will only be represented by the springboard divers. They are senior divers Yeoh Ken Nee, Rossharisham Roslan, Elizabeth Jimie and Leong Mun Yee.

The Amateur Swimming Union of Malaysia secretary, Edwin Chong, said that Chinese coach Lan Wei wanted Bryan to learn three new dives for the 10m platform before the world championships, which will be held in Rome in July.

“Bryan now needs to start learning a new armstand routine, which is on a higher degree of difficulty,” he said.

“If he were to go for competition, there will not be enough time to train.

“We might send him for the next round in the United States in May, depending on his progress.”

Edwin added that Bryan was coping well with the new dive routines.

“He finished fifth in the 10m platform in the China leg in Shenzhen two weeks ago with a new routine but that’s okay because he only learnt it two weeks ago,” he said.

“It is important for Bryan to step up to his degree of difficulties if he is to keep up with the competition in the world meet.

“The current standards in men’s 10m platform are very high. What Bryan was used to get him into the final in the last world championships two years ago would not even be enough to qualify for the semi-finals.”

In the season-opening China leg, Malaysia managed to rake in three silver and two bronze medals.

The silvers were all from the synchronised events through Yeoh Ken Nee-Rossharisham (men’s 3m springboard), Mun Yee-Elizabeth (women’s 3m springboard) and Pandelela-Traisy (women’s 10m platform).

Pandelela and Elizabeth also managed to clinch bronze medals in their respective individual events.

However, Edwin said that it would be a tall order for the springboard divers to repeat their acts in Germany.

”Only the Russian divers travelled to China to take part in the first leg. But there will be divers from more European countries this time.”

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