DIVER NUR DHABITAH OPEN TO PARTNERING GABRIEL

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 4 (Bernama) -- National diver Nur Dhabitah Sabri has no qualms and is open to partnering Gabriel Gilbert Daim in any championships or Games.

Nur Dhabitah said she is comfortable partnering Gabriel as they often helped each other out during competitions and training sessions.

“I am thankful and proud to partner Gabriel even though he hasn’t been competing for a long time.

“I am glad we managed to complete the championships as planned. Been a long time since I partnered (Gabriel) but now we’ve made a comeback together,” she told reporters here today.

Earlier, Nur Dhabitah and Gabriel came out tops in the 3-metre (m) springboard mixed synchronised event to complete her hattrick of gold medal collection in the 2nd Malaysia Open Diving Championships at the National Aquatics Centre in Bukit Jalil here today.

Nur Dhabitah-Gabriel amassed 242.10 points to clinch gold, leaving Indonesia’s Aldinsyah Putra Rafi-Gladies Lariesa Garina (230.40 points) to take silver and Singapore’s Max Lee-Alycia Lim (202.08 points) the bronze.

Nur Dhabitah had captured her first gold in the mixed team event (with Pandelela Rinong, Gabriel and Enrique Maccartney Harold) on Saturday (Nov 2) and her second in the women’s 3m springboard synchronised with Ong Ker Ying this morning.

Nur Dhabitah last partnered Gabriel in 2017 when they clinched bronze in the 3m springboard mixed synchronised event at the FINA (World Aquatics) Diving Grand Prix in Gold Coast, Australia.

Meanwhile, Gabriel admitted that he is still in the rehabilitation phase following the spinal injury he sustained while undergoing preparations for the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games last year.

Although he has not taken part competitively for some time, the Kota Kinabalu diver was still satisfied with his performance, having last competed at the 2023 World Aquatics Championships in Fukuoka, Japan.

The 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games silver medallist hopes to swiftly recover from his injury so that he regain focus ahead of the 2026 Asian Games in Japan.

Meanwhile, another national diver, Jellison Jabilin won gold in the men’s 10m platform event with 397.50 points, with teammate Enrique (391.15 points) taking silver and Japan’s Nishida Reo (353.70 points) settling for bronze.

-- BERNAMA