KUALA LUMPUR – After missing out on a medal at the Paris Olympics, Malaysia’s diving darling Nur Dhabitah Sabri made a surprising announcement that she will take a short break from international diving.
Dhabitah started strong in the women’s 3m springboard final yesterday, but mistakes in her third and fourth dives caused her to finish last with a total score of 244.80 points.
This result was significantly lower than her performance at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, where the Kuala Lumpur-born diver finished in fourth place.
As a result, Dhabitah now plans to take a break after her Olympic campaign to restore her spirit, following the various challenges she said she has recently faced.
“I don’t know, I feel I need to take a break and step back for a while. Right now, I need to focus on myself.
“I think I’ve been too hard on myself and haven’t appreciated my own efforts. So, I need to get back to myself,” said Dhabitah in a post-match interview with Malaysian media.
Though she did not secure a medal, Dhabitah considers reaching the final a significant achievement, especially after the disappointment at the World Aquatics Championships in Doha last February.
At that time, she and the entire national diving team, including Datuk Pandelela Rinong, faced criticism for failing to qualify for the Olympics on merit.
In Doha, Dhabitah competed in three events but fell short of her usual performance. In her signature event, the 3m springboard, she was eliminated in the first round, finishing 24th overall.
“Mistakes are part of the journey, but I’m not giving up.
“I believe that everything happens for a reason, and perhaps there are better opportunities ahead that god has planned for me. This might be the path he wants me to follow.
“For me, reaching the final is already a major achievement. Despite facing several challenges, including changes in coaching, I didn’t make it to the final at the World Championships in Doha. Yet here, I managed to advance to the final, working hard in a short time.
“Of course, with new coaching came changes in technique and approach, but I’m pleased with reaching the final, as that was my goal. Initially, I didn’t think I would even make it past the first round,” she added. – August 10, 2024