KUALA LUMPUR: Nur Dhabitah Sabri's Olympic campaign can be summed up an "uphill dive" all the way for her.
Up to two months ago, she wasn't sure she would be going to Paris, but found herself plunging into a "get ready" situation after getting a wild card.
In fact, the 25-year-old said she felt like giving up the sport after failing to qualify for the Paris Olympics from the World Championships in Doha in February.
Dhabitah's diving career had then run into a headwind and she didn't have proper competition training until the Olympic wild card from World Aquatics at the end of June.
Dhabitah found herself racing against time to improve her skill and techniques within a month.
"At that time, I felt like I did not want to do this (diving) anymore. To be honest. I'm tired, I have to deal with everything.
"Then after that during the two-week training camp, I tried to push, a lot of problems in technique that I had to fix because my techniques were lost. To regain that lost technique would require time, so it was so difficult.
"Within the short period, what do you expect (in Friday's event)? I'm very satisfied with the results because I know I didn't prepare much. I didn't even expect to be in the final," Dhabitah told Bernama.
In retrospect, it was always going to be uphill for the diver to get herself into top shape for Paris since getting that wild card.
On Friday, Dhabitah finished 12th and last in the final of the women's 3-metre springboard.
It left her feeling she wasn't really ready for this Olympic challenge. That's true.
She was fourth in the same event at the Tokyo Olympics three years ago, missing a medal by just one spot.
Dhabitah said though she is an experienced diver - Paris was her third Olympics - the variables and change to body, experience and techniques made it difficult for her to catch up.
In fact, some fans did wonder whether the "Paris latecomer" could even make it to the final.
Well, Dhabitah did well to get through the preliminaries. In the semi-finals, she finished eighth out of 12 divers and qualified for the final.