Sarawak MSSM divers exceed expectations
KUCHING (May 31): Sarawak's young divers are charting a bold new course toward international waters after dominating the Malaysian School Sports Council (MSSM) diving championship.
Held from May 24-28 at the Johor Baru City Council (MBJB) Arena Larkin Aquatic Centre, the event saw Sarawak rise to the top of the national diving scene with a commanding medal haul of nine golds, two silvers and six bronzes.
The victory was hard-earned against stiff competition, with Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur finishing second with two golds, four silvers and two bronze medals while Selangor were placed third with one gold, three silvers and one bronze.
Other teams in contention included Sabah, Penang, Johor, Perlis, Perak and Federal Territory of Labuan.
Despite the strong field, it was Sarawak's consistent excellence across all age categories that set them apart from the rest of the teams.
In the Boys' Under-18 division, Muhammad Lutfir Rahman struck gold in the 1m springboard and added a silver in the 3m springboard, while teammate Soh Tze Kang delivered another gold in the 3m springboard.
In the Girls' Under-18 category, Nurul Farisya Alia Affendi secured a silver in the 3m springboard event.
The winning momentum continued in the Under-15 category, with Brayden Wong claiming gold in the 3m springboard and bronze in the 1m springboard.
On the girls' side, Cecelia Olivia dominated with double golds in both the 1m and 3m springboard, while Nur Ikmas Darwisyah contributed two bronze medals.
Sarawak's youngest divers also made their mark.
In the Boys' Under-12 division, Muhammad Hijri Rayyan captured gold in the 1m and bronze in the 3m springboard, while Awang Sharzan Zaqwan earned gold in the 3m and bronze in the 1m.
For the Under-12 girls, Nur Aryna Balqis emerged as a double gold medallist in the 1m and 3m springboar, while Izara Leanne Sufeeya delivered strong fourth-place finishes in both events.
To Sarawak head coach Shi Yang, the MSSM results exceeded all expectations.
'I didn't expect that we could win many gold medals and we were all very surprised.
'Our divers gave an outstanding performance by showing mental strength, great technique and resilience under pressure,' he added.
However, the coach from China was quick to shift focus towards what lies ahead.
'This victory is just the beginning. Now we are preparing for the SEA Age Group Championships in Singapore.
'That will be our next big test. After that, we're building towards Sukma 2026 in Selangor. Agi Idup, Agi Ngelaban (As long as we live, we fight),' he stressed. diving Malaysian School Sports Council sports
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