KUALA LUMPUR – Newly appointed national diving technical director Yeoh Ken Nee is expected to bring valuable insights and a fresh perspective to Malaysian diving, drawing from his experience as both a top-tier diver and an international judge.
National diver Bertrand Rhodict Lises is optimistic that Ken Nee has what it takes to elevate the current squad and keep them up to date with the latest diving techniques and regulations.
“I think Ken Nee’s appointment is a good move. He has been to many competitions (as an international judge) and is well-versed in World Aquatics’ proposed changes.
“So, if anything, he’ll be the first to know and can keep us informed. Plus, he has some major achievements as a former diver… hopefully, everything will go well for us,” Bertrand told Bernama when contacted.
Malaysia Swimming (MS) recently named Ken Nee as the new technical director of the national diving squad, replacing Bryan Nickson Lomas, who resigned in December.
Ken Nee made history as the first Malaysian male diver to reach an Olympic final, finishing 10th in the men’s 3-metre springboard individual event at the London 2012 Games.
He also won multiple Asian Games medals in Busan 2002, Doha 2006, and Guangzhou 2010.
The 41-year-old, who retired in 2012, has coaching experience as well, having served as head coach of the Federal Territories diving team.
As an international judge, Ken Nee is one of the few Asians selected to officiate at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
Meanwhile, Bertrand is pleased with his progress since making his Olympic debut in Paris 2024.
The 19-year-old finished 25th out of 26 participants in the men’s 10m platform preliminary round with 313.70 points.
The Sarawakian said he is working on increasing the difficulty of his dives while preparing for the national trials in Bukit Jalil next month and strengthening his synchronised partnership with Jellson Jabillin. — March 10, 2025