HANGZHOU: "From China to China."It was a fitting swan song gift for national diver Wendy Ng, as she clinched a silver medal at the Hangzhou Asian Games alongside her partner Nur Dhabitah Sabri in the women's 3m springboard synchro on Sunday.
The accomplishment marked a poignant end to Wendy's Asiad journey, which began at the 2010 Guangzhou Games. She announced that this will be her final appearance in the quadrennial continental meet, signaling her intention to pave the way for younger talents.
However, the 30-year-old diver firmly believes she made the right decision to continue her partnership with Dhabitah after the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games, emphasising the excellent chemistry they share. Both Wendy and Dhabitah are now eyeing one last hurrah at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
"I made my Asian Games debut in Guangzhou, and now I say goodbye in Hangzhou. From China to China, it's a good ending," expressed Wendy, who has consistently secured silver medals in the same event since her debut. In 2010, she won silver with Leong Mun Yee, followed by Cheong Jun Hoong at the Incheon Games in 2014, and Dhabitah at the previous edition in Jakarta-Palembang.
"It's not easy, but I decided to stay on because of my dream. And because Dhabitah and I share this very good chemistry. The same chemistry that could probably see us qualify for the 2024 Paris Olympics," added Wendy. In the 3m springboard final, Wendy-Dhabitah quickly rebounded from a subpar second dive, which garnered only 36.60 points, to secure the silver with 270.27 points over five dives.
China secured the gold through Chen Yiwei-Chang Yani (335.73), while South Korea's Park Har Eum-Kim Su Ji (253.56) settled for the bronze.The silver medal is Malaysia's third from diving at this year's Asiad.
Earlier, Dhabitah-Pandelela Rinong contributed a bronze in the 10m platform synchro on Saturday, while Syafiq Puteh-Ooi Tze Liang, also won a bronze in the men's 3m synchro.