By Vikneswaran Raman
KUCHING, Aug 19 (Bernama) -- Family support and a good sleep proved to be a winning combination for Sarawak diver Elvis Priestly Clement as he went on to clinch the men’s 3-metre (m) springboard gold - the first aquatic medal on offer - in the 2024 Malaysia Games (SUKMA).
The 18-year-old, competing in front of his family members for the first time, romped to the gold medal with 415.15 points after six dives at the Pandelela Rinong Aquatic Centre here today.
His national team training mates, Rui Jie Yong (388.80 points) and Nurqayyum Nazmi Mohamad Nazim (377.65 points) of the Federal Territories, had to settle for silver and bronze respectively.
Elvis Priestly said his normal routine before competitions was to have a peaceful sleep so that he would be focused and calm on competition day.
“I am happy to have outdone my friends because we often train together. I was all pumped up with the presence of my family members because they rarely come to watch me in action.
“My main target this year is to get on the podium in the World Aquatics Junior Diving Championships 2024 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil from Nov 24-Dec 1. My ultimate goal, though, is to be successful at the Olympics,” said the Kuching-born Elvis Priestly.
He hopes to add to his collection of SUKMA gold medals when he competes in the 10m platform synchronised with Enrique Maccartney Harold tomorrow and the platform individual on Thursday (Aug 22), after returning from the previous edition with a gold, a silver and a bronze.
Meanwhile, Sarawak made a clean sweep of the two gold medals on offer on the opening day when Nur Eilisha Rania Muhammad Abrar Raj-Nurul Farisya Alia Affendi blew their away in the women’s 10m platform synchronised.
They accumulated 262.08 points for a dominant win, leaving Terengganu’s Ilyssa Ixora Imran-Uzlifatil Jannah Ashraf (197.10 points) and Perak’s Cecelia Olivia Christopher Leoneil-Siti Nurul Jannah Malik (189.75 points) to settle for silver and bronze respectively.
-- BERNAMA
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