KUALA LUMPUR: The National Sports Council (NSC) have given their assurance that Kimberly Bong's departure from the national diving team will not significantly affect Malaysia's medal chances at the Thailand Southeast Asian (SEA) Games next year.
NSC deputy director-general Jefri Ngadirin said the council respected Kimberly's decision to quit the programme.
Kimberly, who will turn 22 in July, showed great promise as a junior but her progress through the ranks was hindered by multiple injuries.
She enjoyed a strong season last year, winning gold in the 3m springboard individual at the Phnom Penh Sea Games and later teaming up with Ong Ker Ying to clinch bronze (3m synchronised) at the Chengdu World University Games.
"First of all, we would like to thank Kimberly who has contributed many medals to the nation in various competitions, including the Sea Games," said Jefri yesterday.
"In diving, athletes tend to peak at an early age so if they decide to leave the programme, we have to accept their decision.
"At the Sea Games-level, we have a number of divers who can fill in and are capable of winning medals. We are not worried in this regard.
"We continue to prepare divers, such as Ong Ker Ying, for next year's Sea Games."
Jefri said NSC's current main focus was on developing talent to be groomed for the 2032 Brisbane Olympics.
Malaysia Aquatics diving technical director Bryan Nickson Lomas is travelling across the country scouting for new, young talent.
"Our main concern at the moment is the Olympics. We want to make sure we have talent in the pipeline," said Jefri.
"We are identifying new talent across the country to be placed in our fast track programme.
"Bryan recently went to Kedah, Penang and Perlis, and will next head for the East Coast.
"So far, we have identified 20 divers, who are 10-years-olds. They will be invited to our centralised training camp at the end of June.
"The camp will be attended by about 30 divers. We will then select 16, eight boys and eight girls, to be included in the fast track programme.
"They will have their own coach and specialised programme. We cannot follow the process we used in the past, there is not enough time. We have to push forward.
"These youngsters will in time replace divers, such as Cheong Jun Hoong, Wendy Ng and Kimberly, in the senior squad."
NSC are executing a 2024-2028 blueprint for diving development to revive the sport, which suffered a slow but steady decline over the past decade.
Only one Malaysian diver, Bertrand Rhodict Lises, was able to qualify on merit for the Paris Olympics (Jul 26-Aug 11).