KUALA LUMPUR — The newly appointed technical director of the national diving squad, Yeoh Ken Nee, is determined to lead Malaysia’s divers back to the Olympic podium at the 2028 Los Angeles Games.
He believes the goal is achievable, given the country’s pool of young talent, though he acknowledges that the task will not be easy.
The former Olympic diver, who competed at the Sydney 2000 Games, said he intends to use his experience to further develop the skills and potential of Malaysia’s divers to reach the highest level.
“Based on recent performances, I can say our diving squad is not yet at podium level. As the new director, I will do my best to help in any way I can to restore past glory. My job is to build a new team, and we want to nurture more talent for the future,” he told Bernama when contacted.
Malaysia Swimming (MS) recently announced Ken Nee’s appointment as technical director, effective last Monday, following the resignation of his predecessor Bryan Nickson Lomas in December.
MS secretary-general Andy Low said the 41-year-old was selected for the role due to his extensive experience in the sport.
Meanwhile, Ken Nee hopes to maintain the national diving squad’s strong record at the SEA Games, set to take place later this year in Thailand.
He noted that four events will be contested at the biennial competition: the men’s 1-metre individual springboard, men’s 3m individual and synchronised springboard, and the women’s 10m synchronised platform.
“We have yet to decide whether to send junior or senior divers to the SEA Games. Regardless of who we select, we hope they will perform well,” he said.
Malaysia’s diving squad made history with their first Olympic medal in 2012 when Datuk Pandelela Rinong won bronze in the women’s 10m platform event. Four years later, Pandelela and former world champion Cheong Jun Hoong secured silver in the women’s 10m synchronised platform at the Rio 2016 Games.
However, the national diving squad failed to secure a medal in the last two editions, at Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024. — March 5, 2025