Dhabitah To Curb Jitters In Bid To Secure Olympic Spot

National diver Nur Dhabitah Sabri training at the National Aquatic Centre in preparation for the Asian Cup starting on Friday. - IBRAHIM MOHTAR/ The STAR

KUALA LUMPUR: Teenager Nur Dhabitah Sabri is hoping to keep her nerves in check as she bids to secure an early Olympic ticket in the Asian Diving Cup, which begins at the National Aquatic Centre in Bukit Jalil on Friday.

The Cup is a continental qualifier for next year’s Rio de Janeiro Olympics but only the four individual winners – men and women’s 3m springboard and 10m platform – will make the cut.

China have already secured their full quota of eight spots (two for each individual event) at the World Aquatics Championships in Russia in July, but they are still taking the Cup seriously.

The Chinese were the first of the foreign teams to arrive on Tuesday and diligently went through a training session in the morning.

With Cheong Jun Hoong just coming back from a heel injury, Malaysia’s hopes lie on Dhabitah in the women’s 3m springboard.

“I am using the same difficulties that I used at the worlds,” said Dhabitah.

“The pressure is on me to deliver. It’s not going to be easy as the Chinese are here. It’s important for me to stay calm and not make any mistakes,” said Dhabitah.

The 16-year-old admitted nerves got the better of her at the worlds where she failed to make the top-12 final.

Dhabitah finished 14th in the semi-finals to miss the cut for the Olympics. Compatriot Wendy Ng Yan Yee qualified for the Rio Games after reaching the final. Yan Yee eventually finished eighth.

“I came so close to making it to Rio. I was just two spots away. The coach (Yang Zhuliang) said I performed to my level, but I was still disappointed,” said the Kuala Lumpur-born Dhabitah, who partnered Pandelela Rinong to win the bronze in the 10m platform synchro at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games last year.

Dhabitah and Jun Hoong main rivals will be China’s Wu Chunting and Liu Tian.

Chunting won the gold at the Mexico leg of the Diving Grand Prix in April while Liu Tian grabbed silver at the World University Games in Gwangju, South Korea, in July.

Besides China and Malaysia, the other countries participating are South Korea, Japan, Indonesia, Macau and Qatar.