KUCHING: Even the Sea Games champion was beaten; that was the big upset at the diving pool in the Sarawak Malaysia Games today.
Federal Territories' (FT) Lee Yiat Qing, who won gold at the Cambodia Sea Games last year, was stunned by Sarawak's Nurul Farisya Alia Affendi in the women's individual 10m platform at the Pandelela Rinong Aquatics Centre.
Farisya edged Yiat Qing by 0.80 points to claim gold with a total score of 241.90. Yiat Qing (241.10) won silver and Farisya's teammate, Nur Eilisha Rania Abrar Raj (231.45), took bronze.
"I didn't expect to win as I didn't think I did that well. But my fourth dive was excellent and that was what brought me victory," said Farisya.
"I started this competition just wanting to have fun because my targets were the synchronised 10m platform and mix synchro. So, I'm grateful for this win," added the 15-year-old.
Farisya trailed Yiat Qing after the first two dives but a mistake from the latter in her third attempt opened the door for the Sarawakian to turn the tide.
After posting scores of 39.90 and 39.10 in her first two dives, Farisya put together two dives of 51.80 and 63.00 in her third and fourth to take the lead and never looked back.
This is Farisya's second gold medal after winning the synchronised 10m platform with Nur Eilisha Rania earlier.
Farisya revealed that she started diving at the age of 10, after switching from her first love - gymnastics.
"To be honest, I'm more interested in gymnastics than diving. But the competition was too fierce, so my parents recommended that I switch.
"I stopped gymnastics for a few months and went straight into diving. I don't find too much of a difference between both sports," said Farisya who joined the national backup squad in March.
Meanwhile, FT's Yong Rui Jie-Nurqayyum Nazmi Nazim won gold in the men's synchronised 3m springboard after registering a total of 346.05 points.
Terengganu's Ikmal Abror Ibrahim-Haris Rezal (289.20) won silver and Perak's Chan Min Hern-Ahza Dzakirin Alizar (277.86) won bronze.
Nurqayyum returned to the pool an hour later to claim his second gold of the day, in the men's individual 1m springboard by posting 335.35. Sarawak's Lutfir Rahman Razak (277.40) and Haris (273.65) completed the podium.