Siblings' Historic Gold Helps Sarawak Make It Five Wins Out Of Five In Diving

By Vikneswaran Raman

KUCHING, Aug 20 (Bernama) -- Siblings Awang Sharzan Nasrin Awang Nasaruddin and Dayang Nursharzyra helped Sarawak make it five wins out of five in the 2024 Malaysia Games (SUKMA) diving competition when they won a historic gold in the mixed 3-metre (m) springboard synchronised today.

With the mixed event making its SUKMA debut, Awang Sharzan, 19, and Dayang Nursharzyra, 17, performed consistently to clinch the gold with 227.13 points at the Pandelela Rinong Aquatic Centre here.

Celeste Lee Qin-Choo Jin Wei (209.04) of Federal Territories (FT) and Terengganu’s Muhamad Haziq Muizzudin Mohd Asri-Uzlifatil Jannah Ashraf (201.81) settled for silver and bronze.

There was double joy for Dayang Nursharzyra as she then triumphed in the women’s 1m springboard, scoring 232.10 points to leave Uzlifatil Jannah (186.60) and Teng Hui Xue (171.95) to finish second and third.

The Sarawak divers were not done yet, though as Elvis Priestly Clement-Enrique Maccartney Harold claimed the state’s third gold medal of the day - and fifth in as many diving events so far - when they emerged triumphant in the men’s 10m platform synchronised with 384.72 points - more than 100 points ahead of their closest rivals.

Sabah’s Julfaddli Jali-Muhammad Anilrian Normatr Abdullah (282.12) took silver and FT’s Donald Chen Da Win-Choo Jin Wei (271.53) the bronze. 

Speaking to reporters after her two-gold feat, Dayang Nursharzyra attributed “good chemistry and same lifestyle” with her elder brother for their success.

She is also grateful to have tasted success after missing out on a podium finish on her debut in the 2018 edition in Perak. (The 2020 edition was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic while women’s diving was dropped for the 2022 edition in the Klang Valley.)

“I am really proud of this achievement as we both train hard everyday. I wouldn’t say synchronised event is easy, but a good chemistry with my brother made it easier... we both also have the same lifestyle and way of thinking. As such, we are able understand each other and can adjust and adpat accordingly,” the national backup squad diver said.

Her brother said although they spend a lot time together in the pool and share the same passions, they do not talk much about the sport at home. 

“Maybe just 20 per cent of the time we’d talk about diving, but we have the same lifestyle and that’s what make us perform better. Our family fully supports us to become athletes,” said Awang Sharzan Nasrin.

Theirs is indeed a sport-mad family as even their older brother, Awang Mohammad Sharszan, and their 10-year-old brother are into sports.

However, Awang Mohammad Sharszan had to give up diving due to chlorine allergy and switch to lawn bowls. It proved to be a good move as well because he won the mixed pairs silver medal with Nur Syurhaidah Asaral yesterday.

Sarawak clinched both the other two gold medals offered on the opening day yesterday through Elvis in the men’s springboard and Nur Eilisha Rania Muhammad Abrar Raj-Nurul Farisya Alia Affendi in the women’s 10m platform synchronised.

-- BERNAMA