Kuala lumpur: The national diving squad is expected to face a tough test in their bid to maintain regional dominance at the SEA Games in Thailand this December, as regional rivals, particularly Singapore, have shown marked improvement in the sport.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, despite the looming challenge, coach Aznizal Najib remains optimistic, stating that preparations are well underway to ensure the Malaysian contingent remains the powerhouse of Southeast Asian diving. He pointed to the athletes’ encouraging performances at the 60th Malaysia Invitational Age Group (MIAG) Diving Championships yesterday as evidence that Malaysia is still on the right track.

Aznizal expressed his expectation for the upcoming SEA Games to be highly competitive, acknowledging the strong performances of Singaporean divers at the recent World Championships. However, he remains confident that with hard work, Malaysia can still pose a significant challenge. There are still a few months left to catch up before the SEA Games.

At the Thailand SEA Games, diving will offer four gold medals across various events, including men’s 1m and 3m springboard, men’s 3m synchronised springboard, and women’s 10m synchronised platform. Meanwhile, Aznizal confirmed that national platform specialist Elvis Priestly Clement will focus on springboard events for the remainder of the season, following a back injury on his left side, and as part of his preparations for the SEA Games.

The coach noted that they were aware of Clement’s injury, which occurred about two weeks before MIAG. Although Clement competed, he did not participate in his favourite event, the platform. Currently, he is concentrating on springboard events, and the team is hopeful his injury will fully heal in the coming weeks.

As part of their build-up to the SEA Games, the national diving squad will compete in two upcoming tournaments: the Asian Aquatics Championships in India from Sept 28 to Oct 1, and the Malaysian Open from Oct 31 to Nov 2.