KUCHING: Sarawak continued their status as a diving powerhouse at the Malaysia Games (Sukma) by winning nine of the 12 golds on offer at the Pandelela Rinong Aquatics Centre.
The bulk of the gold medals came from the state's national backup divers.
Sarawak's teenager Nur Farisya Alia Affendi announced her arrival as a new star with three gold medals.
The 15-year-old, who joined the national backup squad in March, even upstaged 2023 Phnom Penh Sea Games gold medallist Lee Yiat Qing of the Federal Territories (FT) in the 10m platform final
She also won the synchronised 10m platform with Nur Eilisha Rania Abrar Raj and the mixed synchronised 10m platform with Lutfir Rahman Razak.
Yiat Qing, 16, recovering from a wrist injury, redeemed herself in the 3m springboard by winning gold and breaking the hosts' dominance.
Dayang Nursharzyra Awang Nasaruddin announced herself as the potential heir to Nur Dhabitah Sabri in the springboard.
She bagged gold medals in the mixed synchronised 3m springboard with elder brother Awang Sharzan Nasrin Awang Nasaruddin and in the women's synchronised 3m springboard with Nur Eilisha Rania, and in the 1m springboard.
The 17-year-old closed her campaign with a silver in the individual 3m springboard.
In the men's competition, Elvis Priestley Anak Clement, 18, showed he is ready to rock on a bigger stage after securing two gold and one silver.
The national backup squad member won the 3m springboard gold and the synchronised 10m platform with Enrique Maccarty Harold. A poor third dive in the individual 10m platform cost him a third gold medal.
FT's national backup squad members Nurqayyum Nazmi Nazim and Yong Rui Jie were the only ones who could snatch gold from the hosts, winning the men's synchronised 3m springboard. Nurqayyum won his second gold in the 1m springboard.
Overall, Sarawak dominated the diving competition, winning nine gold, three silver and two bronze medals, followed by FT (3-4-4) and Terengganu (0-2-3).