Perfect: Sarawak’s Dayang Nursharzyra and Nur Eilisha Rania in action in the 3m springboard synchro. — ZULAZHAR SHEBLEE / The Star
A NEW car is on the way for Dayang Nursharzyra Awang Nasaruddin after she landed her third gold for Sarawak in Malaysia Games (Sukma) diving competition.
The 17-year-old partnered Nur Eilisha Rania to a come-from-behind win in the girls’ 3m springboard synchro event at Pandelela Rinong Aquatic Centre yesterday.
The Sarawakian duo were trailing Celeste Lee Qin-Ong Jia Le from Federal Territories after the second dive but roared on by the local crowd, pulled their acts together to overcome a 12-point deficit to finish on top with 212.58 points.
Celeste-Jia Le settled for silver with 205.44 points as Cecelia Olivia Christopher Leoneil-Siti Nurul Jannah Malik took bronze for Perak with 190.35 points.
After finishing empty-handed in her two previous Sukma appearances, Dayang now has three gold medals and can make it four when she competes in the girls’ 3m springboard individual today.
Dayang, who is from Samarahan, took gold in the girls’ 1m springboard individual and partnered her brother Awang Sharzan Nasrin Awang Nasaruddin to victory in the 3m springboard mixed synchro event earlier in the week.
With a gold worth RM15,000 in incentive reward offered by the state government, Dayang is hopeful she can earn enough money to use as downpayment for a new car for her family by the end of the week.
“I think my brother needs a car more as he has to travel from Samarahan to Kuching daily for his classes. Hopefully, we don’t have to share the prize money. Previously, we did not have to share and it will be great if I can get a Proton X50 or X70.
“I was also sad to see him missing out on a medal in the boys’ 3m springboard synchro event yesterday when he made a mistake on the final dive.
“But this is diving. Sometimes things don’t work out,” said Dayang, who entered the national set-up in Bukit Jalil in March.
Awang missed out on a medal and ended up fourth with Soh Tze Kang in the boys’ 3m springboard synchro on Wednesday after a costly mistake in the last dive saw them plunge from silver position to fourth.
Dayang was pleased with her performance with Eilisha yesterday.
“It’s not easy as Eilisha is a platform diver and only started to train for springboard after May to prepare for Sukma.”
Boys
Platform individual: 1. Enrique Maccartney Harold (Swk) 409.10, 2. Elvis Priestley Clement (Swk) 390.25, 3. Mohd Anilrian Normatrud Abdullah (Sab) 330.40.
Girls
3m springboard synchro: 1. Dayang Nursharzyra Awang Nasaruddin-Nur Eilisha Rania (Swk) 212.58, 2. Celeste Lee Qin-Ong Jia Le (Prk) 205.44, 3. Cecelia Olivia Christopher Leoneil-Siti Nurul Jannah Malik (Prk) 190.35.
