HAVING won countless medals in various competitions and multi-sports games, national men’s diving ace Ooi Tze Liang said it would be difficult for his teammates to emulate his outstanding feats. 

Tze Liang, whose highest achievement was winning gold in the men’s 3m springboard at the 2014 Commonwealth Games, has thrown the gauntlet to his compatriots to step up in a bid to create bigger splashes in the arena. 

“I think they must work harder, more so if they want to take my place. They have to win first,” he told reporters after taking gold in the men’s 3m springboard at the 58th Malaysia Invitational Age Group Diving Championships in Kuala Lumpur today. 

The two-time Asian Games silver medallist said he strives beyond maximum effort when he competes, as he feels indebted to the National Sports Council for the opportunities it has given him.

As the 29-year-old won’t be joining the 2023 Southeast Asian (SEA) Games squad, he hopes Muhammad Syafiq Puteh and Gabriel Gilbert Daim will go all out to maintain their gold and silver medals in the men’s 3m springboard event at the biennial games in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, next month.

The Penang-born athlete said he will focus on the World Aquatics Diving World Cup 2023 to be held in Montreal, Canada, from May 5 to 7. 

Last January, assistant national coach Leong Mun Yee announced elite divers were left out of the 2023 SEA Games to give exposure to younger divers at the international level.

Earlier, Tze Liang amassed 452.35 points to emerge champion, followed by fellow national diver Chew Yi Wei who took silver with 407.10 points. Syafiq settled for bronze with 402.70 points.

Despite being unable to defeat Tze Liang in the men’s 3m springboard, Yi Wei managed to take gold for the national team in the men’s synchronised 3m springboard with Gabriel after collecting 341.49 points.

Singaporean duo Ayden Ng-Kenji Tan claimed silver with 258.45 points, while Awang Sharzan Nasrin-Soh Tze Kang of Sarawak secured bronze with 251.22 points.

The three-day meet ends tomorrow. – Bernama, April 2, 2023.