Mun Yee And Jun Hoong Bag Another Podium Finish In World Series

Leong Mun Yee (right) and Cheong Jun Hoong deliver another medal from the Diving World Series when they finished third in the 10m platform synchro event in the second round Dubai. - filepic

PETALING JAYA: Malaysian pair Leong Mun Yee-Cheong Jun Hoong claimed another medal in the Diving World Series championships.

Last week, Mun Yee-Jun Hoong took silver in the women’s 10m platform synchro in the first round in Beijing.

On Thursday, they settled for a bronze in the same event in the second round in Dubai.

Mun Yee-Jun Hoong were in fourth position after the first two dives but they stepped up their game in the next attempt to move into medal contention.

The pair maintained their consistency in the last two optional attempts – scoring 72.96 points and 73.92 points to claim bronze with a 315.18 total ahead of Australians Lara Tarvit-Melissa Wu (312.72).

Glasgow Commonwealth Games champions Meaghan Benfeito-Roseline Filion, who took bronze in the season-opening round in Beijing, claimed the silver this time with 321.27 points.

China’s Chen Ruolin then partnered Liu Huixia to the gold with 324.66 points to extend her streak of winning at least two gold medals in every Diving World Series since 2007.

Mun Yee-Jun Hoong’s recent performances have presented head coach Yang Zhuliang with a “pleasant headache” as he ponders who to field for the event at the World Championships in Kazan, Russia, in July.

Mun Yee had partnered Pandelela Rinong to take bronze in two world meets in Rome (2009) and Barcelona (2013).

Pandelela was rested at the World Cup in Shanghai last year, which served as the qualifier for the six-round Diving World Series.  Jun Hoong proved to be more than an able replacement as she partnered Mun Yee to the silver for Malaysia’s best achievement to date.

“The world meet this year is important as it is the qualifying event for the Rio Olympics. We can book an early ticket to the Rio Olympics if we finish in the top three,” said Zhuliang from Dubai.

“It’ll be wonderful to seal the quota spot early. Now, we have three good divers – Mun Yee, Jun Hoong and Pandelela – to choose from for the women’s 10m platform synchro.

“I may pair up Pandelela with Mun Yee in one or two more rounds later before making a final decision. It’s not an easy task.”

Jun Hoong will be looking for a better result in the 3m springboard individual after failing to make the final in Beijing last week. Pandelela will be in action in the 10m platform on Saturday.