Leong
Mun Yee stretches after a training session ahead of the FINA World
Championships in Barcelona on July 19. — GLENN GUAN / The Star
BARCELONA: Leong Mun Yee reached
the top of the world with Pandelela Rinong to claim their second career
World Championships bronze medal in the women’s 10m platform synchro
final at the Montjuic Municipal Pool on Monday.
And that has strengthened Mun Yee’s resolve to continue to plod on and achieve what no Malaysian athlete has done before – making a fifth Olympic appearance.
Mun Yee tied with sailor Kevin Lim when she partnered Pandelela to a seventh placing in the discipline at the London Olympics last August.
She now aims to go one step better and try for the only medal she has yet to achieve in her illustrious career.
Mun Yee has already achieved a first for aquatics by becoming the only diver to have made a sixth appearance at the world meet.
She has never missed out on the world meet since 2003 when, interestingly enough, Barcelona was the host.
“I think I can handle another Olympics. After Rio, I will retire (with a laugh). I realise I still love this sport and Rio will be my best chance to finish well.
“I want to compete in the next world meet in Kazan, Russia in 2015 as that’s the main qualification event for the Olympics ... so, I will continue to train at a pace suitable for me.
“I’ve been partnering Pandelela for the last four years and experience is the key. It helps us get the consistency,” said Mun Yee, who is now 28 and the only remaining diver from the Jaya ’98 squad – the pioneer project funded by the National Sports Council (NSC) that has made Malaysian diving what it is today.
And that has strengthened Mun Yee’s resolve to continue to plod on and achieve what no Malaysian athlete has done before – making a fifth Olympic appearance.
Mun Yee tied with sailor Kevin Lim when she partnered Pandelela to a seventh placing in the discipline at the London Olympics last August.
She now aims to go one step better and try for the only medal she has yet to achieve in her illustrious career.
Mun Yee has already achieved a first for aquatics by becoming the only diver to have made a sixth appearance at the world meet.
She has never missed out on the world meet since 2003 when, interestingly enough, Barcelona was the host.
“I think I can handle another Olympics. After Rio, I will retire (with a laugh). I realise I still love this sport and Rio will be my best chance to finish well.
“I want to compete in the next world meet in Kazan, Russia in 2015 as that’s the main qualification event for the Olympics ... so, I will continue to train at a pace suitable for me.
“I’ve been partnering Pandelela for the last four years and experience is the key. It helps us get the consistency,” said Mun Yee, who is now 28 and the only remaining diver from the Jaya ’98 squad – the pioneer project funded by the National Sports Council (NSC) that has made Malaysian diving what it is today.
The Star
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