SEA GAMES: RUI JIE-NURQAYYUM SPLASH TO GOLD, MALAYSIA CLOSE CAMPAIGN WITH LATE SURGE

By Amiril Muttaqien Meketar

BANGKOK, Dec 19 (Bernama) -- The national diving camp waited until the final day of competition to reaffirm its status as a SEA Games powerhouse, wrapping up their Thailand 2025 campaign with two gold medals and one bronze today.

The young national combination of Yong Rui Jie-Nurqayyum Nazmi Mohamad Nazim delivered when it mattered most, producing a polished and composed performance to dive their way to gold in the men’s three-metre (m) synchronised springboard event at the Aquatic Centre, Assumption University Suvarnabhumi Campus in Samut Prakan.

The Malaysian pair displayed consistency and control throughout all six rounds of dives, accumulating an impressive 359.85 points to stay comfortably ahead of the field.

Thailand’s Chawanwat Juntaphadawon-Thitipoom Marksin settled for silver with 335.70 points, while Vietnam’s Hoang Tu Dang-Anh Tuan Dinh claimed bronze with 322.35 points.

Speaking after the medal ceremony, Rui Jie said he was relieved to have made amends following his bronze-medal finish in the men’s one-metre springboard event last Wednesday.

“This is definitely 100 per cent redemption of what happened last Wednesday. Despite the pressure but in the end we managed to prove it,” he told reporters.

Nurqayyum, meanwhile, credited Rui Jie for playing a key role in keeping him calm ahead of the competition, saying his partner’s reassurance helped settle his nerves before taking to the board.

“We are so happy … but we will definitely do much better in the next SEA Games in Malaysia,” he said.

After a sluggish start to the SEA Games Thailand 2025, Malaysia finally secured their first gold medal thanks to a fine performance from Nur Eilisha Rania Muhammad Abrar Raj and Nurul Farisya Alia Affendi in the women’s synchronised platform event, earlier today.

With today’s results, Malaysia topped the diving competition, securing two of the four gold medals contested at the 33rd edition of the biennial Games.

Singapore came in second with one gold, two silver and one bronze, followed by Thailand (1-2-0), Vietnam (0-0-1) and Indonesia (0-0-1).

The SEA Games Thailand 2025 is taking place from Dec 9 to 20 across two provinces: Bangkok and Chonburi.

-- BERNAMA