KUALA LUMPUR: Keeping his fingers crossed but not letting up in training. That’s how national diver Ooi Tze Liang is awaiting news of his possible participation in the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.
Tze Liang said he is ready for any situation, including competing for the second time at the prestigious global sports event.
“This is all beyond my control; it’s up to God. If it’s meant to be, I’m ready. If not, I will continue training and preparing for the next competition.
“For now, I am training as if I am going to the 2024 Olympics. I have indeed been preparing for Paris since returning from the 2024 World Aquatic Championships in Doha,“ he told reporters during a training session here today.
Yesterday, national diving squad technical director Bryan Nickson Lomas said the 30-year-old Tze Liang has a chance to compete in the men’s 3-metre (m) springboard event if there is a withdrawal from another country’s representative who has already qualified.
Bryan said Tze Liang’s fate for Paris 2024 will be known on July 8 through confirmation from World Aquatics.
Tze Liang, the 2014 Glasgow Commonwealth Games champion, finished in 22nd place in the men’s 10m platform event during his Olympic debut in the Rio 2016 edition.
Meanwhile, his teammate Nur Dhabitah Sabri hopes that luck will favour Tze Liang.
“The date (World Aquatics confirmation) is getting closer; we are all anxious and praying he can go,“ she said.
Last week, Nur Dhabitah received an additional slot for the women’s 3m springboard event to accompany young diver Bertrand Rhodict Lises, who qualified on merit for the men’s 10m platform event for the 2024 Olympics.
So far, 26 athletes have received the green light to represent Malaysia at the Paris Olympics, which will take place from July 26 to Aug 11.
