The opening day of the Malaysia Diving Trials brought no shortage of drama, grit, and brilliance as both familiar names and rising stars made waves at the National Aquatic Centre. With berths at the World Aquatics Championships and SEA Games on the line, every dive carried weight — and several young contenders seized the moment with record-breaking poise.
Rui Jie Leads the Charge with Double Gold
Despite already competing earlier in the 1m springboard event — which he won with a solid 312.75 points — Rui Jie returned to the boards alongside Nurqayyum Nazmi Mohd Nazim in the men’s 3m synchronised springboard, outscoring seasoned national pair Syafiq Puteh and Gabriel Gilbert Daim by the slimmest of margins: 343.80 to 340.62.
Their total not only secured the gold but also cleared the junior Minimum Qualifying Score (MQS) of 340.00 set by Malaysia Aquatics, reinforcing their potential for future international outings.
Nurqayyum, a world junior bronze medallist, admitted he had been uncertain about competing after a recent fever. “I was worried I wouldn’t be able to compete, but I’m proud we managed to push through and hit the junior MQS. Next time, we’ll chase the senior mark,” he said, referring to the 370-point threshold.
The pairing’s upset over Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games silver medallists Syafiq-Gabriel signals a shifting tide in the national diving pecking order — and a refreshing confidence from the backup squad.
Elvis and Enrique Redefine the Ceiling
There are numbers that live on after competitions. 400.11 will be one of them.
That was the final tally for Enrique Maccartney Harold and Elvis Priestly Clement in the men’s 10m platform synchro. It wasn’t just the best score of the day. It was a number loaded with implications. It exceeded the senior MQS by 40 points. It beat the next best pair by almost 60. It would’ve landed them sixth in the Olympic final in Paris; a bold sign from two divers still considered part of the junior crop.
It wasn’t clean in the traditional sense. There were rough edges. But it had something rarer: momentum. Every dive built upon the last. Every rotation felt like a decision, not a reaction.
“We’re really happy with this. It’s one of our best performances yet, and it proves we’re heading in the right direction,” said Elvis, who is named after the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll and may be fast becoming Malaysia’s king of the tower.
Old Guard, New Pairings: Pandelela Returns to Form with Yiat Qing
In the women’s 10m platform synchro, national icon Pandelela Rinong joined forces with young talent Lee Yiat Qing to safely secure top spot with 281.61 points — comfortably above the MQS of 270.
With only a few outings together under their belt, the pair showed promising chemistry as they led from start to finish, beating juniors Nur Eilisha Rania and Nurul Farisya Alia (260.70), and Cecelia Olivia-Nur Aryna Balqis (219.81).
The result all but confirms Pandelela-Yiat Qing as Malaysia’s top pairing heading into July’s world meet in Singapore, with plenty of time left to refine their synchrony.
The Women’s Springboard: Treading Water, For Now
It was also a standout day for Sarawak’s Dayang Nursharzyra Awang Nasaruddin, who took home two medals — a gold in the women’s 1m springboard and another in the 3m synchro with new partner Mya Yumna Schakeera.
Despite only training together briefly, Dayang and Mya edged out national backups Cecelia Olivia-Nur Ikmas Darwisyah with 200.88 to 200.64 points. Still, Dayang wasn’t fully satisfied: “I’m proud of Mya, but I know I can perform better.”
Her individual victory (217.30) in the 1m event narrowly edged out podium stalwart Ong Ker Ying (216.40), though the score fell short of the 225-point MQS. Nonetheless, it marked a return to form for the former national backup diver, who showed flashes of the promise that once earned her a place in the senior setup.
Momentum Builds as Trials Continue
With top spots secured and MQS targets met, the first day of the national trials set the tone for a fiercely competitive week ahead. Behind the headlines lies a broader theme: the next wave of Malaysian diving is no longer just knocking on the door — they’re diving straight through it.
| Event | Pair/Athlete | Score | MQS (Senior/Junior) | Status |
| Men’s 3m Synchro | Yong Rui Jie–Nurqayyum | 343.80 | 340.00 (Junior) | ✅ Surpassed |
| Men’s 10m Synchro | Enrique–Elvis | 400.11 | 360.00 (Senior) | ✅ Surpassed |
| Women’s 10m Synchro | Pandelela–Yiat Qing | 281.61 | 270.00 (Senior) | ✅ Surpassed |
| Men’s 1m Springboard | Yong Rui Jie | 312.75 | 280.00 (Junior) | ✅ Surpassed |
Day 1 Recap
Men’s 1m Springboard Individual
🥇 Yong Rui Jie – 312.75
🥈 Awang Sharzan Nasaruddin – 282.35
🥉 Mohd Syafiq Puteh – 279.75
Men’s 3m Springboard Synchro
🥇 Yong Rui Jie – Nurqayyum Nazmi – 343.80
🥈 Syafiq Puteh – Gabriel Gilbert Daim – 340.62
🥉 Awang Sharzan Nasruddin – Soh Tze Kang – 295.86
Men’s 10m Platform Synchro
🥇 Enrique Maccartney – Elvis Priestly – 400.11
🥈 Jared Aiden Harold – Mohd Anilrian Normatrud – 340.86
🥉 Megat Azim Hakimi – Asyraaf Haikal – 244.14
Women’s 1m Springboard Individual
🥇 Dayang Nursharzyra – 217.30
🥈 Ong Ker Ying – 216.40
🥉 Teng Hui Xue – 191.55
Women’s 3m Springboard Synchro
🥇 Mya Yumna – Dayang Nursharzyra – 200.88
🥈 Cecelia Olivia – Nur Ikmas Darwisyah – 200.64
🥉 Fabiana Anderianna – Siti Nurul Jannah – 159.66
Women’s 10m Platform Synchro
🥇 Pandelela Rinong – Lee Yiat Qing – 281.61
🥈 Eilisha Rania – Nurul Farisya Alia – 260.70
🥉 Cecelia Olivia – Nur Aryna Balqis – 219.81
