Rejoice: Sarawak’s Dayang Nursharzyra and her brother Awang Sharzan Nasrin celebrating with their mother. — ZULAZHAR SHEBLEE / The Star
DIVER Dayang Nursharzyra Awang Nasaruddin could only sob her heart out at the last Malaysia Games (Sukma) in Kuala Lumpur two years ago when the girls’ diving competition was scrapped due to a lack of entries.
The 17-year-old was crying again at the Sarawak Games yesterday. Only this time, they were tears of joy.
Dayang earned her Sukma breakthrough in style by romping to two gold medals for Sarawak.
She and elder brother Awang Sharzan Nasrin first put up a sibling act to make history for the hosts at the Pandelela Rinong Aquatic Centre yesterday.
They became the first ever gold medallists in the 3m springboard mixed synchro event after coming out tops in the five-dive competition with 227.13 points.
The mixed synchro event is being held for the first time in Sukma.
Celeste Lee Qin-Choo Jin Wei got the silver for Federal Territories with 2019.14 points while Mohd Haziq Muizuddin Mohd Asri-Uzlifatil Jannah Ashraf got the bronze for Terengganu with 201.81 points.
Dayang then went on win the girls’ 1m springboard individual event in the afternoon with 232.10 points. Uzlifatil settled for silver with 186.60 points while Teng Hui Xue took bronze for Federal Territories with 173.15 points.
Dayang, who was absorbed into the national team at the beginning of the year, said she savoured the experience partnering up with her sibling.
“If you partner with your own brother, it is much easier as the chemistry is already there. He understands me without me having to explain a lot.
“Finally, I got a medal in Sukma after six years of waiting. I was too young to fight for a medal in my first Sukma in Ipoh in 2018. Then Covid-19 came and then there were no girls’ events in the last Sukma. It’s been a long wait for me,” said Dayang.
Her brother Awang was also delighted to make it to the Sukma podium for the first time.
“This is my third Sukma and the first time I got a medal.
“It’s not been easy for me as I had to divide time between studies and diving.
“I am happy for her as she was very disappointed when the girls’ events were cancelled in KL.
“Today we managed to control our dives to win together, something I will never forget in my diving involvement.
