Jun Hoong fails to qualify for her third Olympic Games

By Ahmad Nazrin Syahmi Mohamad Arif

KUALA LUMPUR, June 23 -- Malaysia Swimming (MS) confirmed today that former world champion Cheong Jun Hoong has missed her opportunity to compete in the Tokyo Olympics next month.

MS secretary-general Mae Chan said this follows the decision by world diving body, FINA to allow only the best 15 divers in the women’s 10m individual platform in the 2021 FINA Diving World Cup to qualify for the world’s biggest sporting event.

She admitted that the development was very disappointing for the national dive team and Jun Hoong herself, who had already ‘qualified’ under the previous qualification format.

"We just have to continue her training as usual first, in case there are some countries that are badly affected by the COVID-19 and they are not able to turn up then probably there's another slot but again we have to wait.

"She's (Jun Hoong) not the only one who’s out, there are few more divers who also didn't make it. In order to put Jun Hoong in, you're going to put a few more before her, so I think that will be difficult," she told Bernama, today.

Mae also said that Jun Hoong would have avoided this entire issue if the 31-year-old diver had managed to enter the finals of her favourite event during the 2021 FINA Diving World Cup in Tokyo last May.

"Unfortunately, in the semi-finals she fared badly and failed to qualify for the finals, which would have assured her of a place in the Olympics," she added.

In the 2021 World Cup, Jung Hoong finished last in the women’s 10 m individual platform event semi-finals, but managed to qualify for the Olympics after emerging among the best 18 divers in the championship.

At the end of May, however, Jun Hoong’s chances of making her third Olympic appearance was in jeopardy because of FINA’s decision to reduce the quota to 12 divers. Although FINA recently announced that the top 15 divers in her event would be eligible to compete in the Olympics, Jun Hoong still does not qualify as she was not ranked among them, according to MS.

Also, Mae confirmed that four national women divers would compete in the Tokyo Olympics, namely Pandelela Rinong Pamg (10 m individual platform and 10 m synchronised platform), Nur Dhabitah Sabri (3 m individual springboard), Wendy Ng Yan Yee (3 m individual springboard) and Leong Mun Yee (10 m synchronised platform).

Meanwhile, Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Seri Reezal Merican Naina Merican said FINA’s decision was contrary to the initial qualifying criteria set by the world governing body previously, and did not affect Jun Hoong’s chances, but also divers from other countries.

He said he has instructed National Sports Council director-general Datuk Ahmad Shapawi Ismail to discuss the matter in detail with Jun Hoong, her coach and MS to outline and continue her training programme, including the programme for the 2022 Asian Games in Hanzhou, China.

"I really understand the disappointment Jun Hoong faces currently. I also understand the difficulties she has gone through previously to make a comeback after considering retirement following her injury and surgery,” he added.

Reezal also said that the Olympic Council of Malaysia has sent an appeal letter to the International Olympic Council and hoped that the committee involved in the change in qualifying conditions would review the issue.

-- BERNAMA