KUALA LUMPUR: Bertrand Rhodict Lises made a huge splash when he became the first Malaysian diver to qualify on merit for the Paris Olympics at last year's World Championships in Fukuoka, Japan.
Rhodict, 18, at the time, was making his debut at the world meet and he surprised many by qualifying for the men's 10m platform individual final, which also earned him a ticket to the Paris Olympics.
An Olympic debut can be daunting for even the most seasoned of athletes, not to mention a teenager. But Rhodict is unfazed. In fact, the Sarawakian does not intend to make up the numbers in Paris, he wants to make the final.
To improve his chances, Rhodict has been working on the degree of difficulty of his dives.
"Reaching the final (in Paris) is my goal. If everything goes well, I hope to finish in the top six," Rhodict said.
"At the moment, the 3.6 degree dive (Rhodict has been working on) is at about 80 to 90 per cent. I still need a little more time.
"It's the same with the 3.7 degree dive I am focusing on right now. I hope to get it to 100 per cent as well."
Malaysia Aquatics had earlier found it hard to find a training base abroad, which has suitable training partners, for Rhodict.
They, however, managed to place Rhodict in Singapore from April 15-May 30 before moving him to Australia.
He is currently training in the United Kingdom to acclimatise to the weather and time zone in Europe before heading to Paris a few days before the Olympics opening ceremony on July 26.
Rhodict will be the national contingent's flag bearer, alongside sailor Nur Shazrin Latif, during the opening ceremony.
He is the fourth Sarawakian to be given the honour after Kuda Ditta (athletics) at Rome 1960, Bryan Nickson Lomas (diving) at Athens 2004 and Pandelela Rinong (diving) at London 2012.