SHAH ALAM: Young national diver Bertrand Rhodict Lises will be considered for listing under the Road to Gold (RTG) programme after becoming the first Malaysian athlete to have qualified for the 2024 Paris Olympics on merit.
Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh, who also jointly chairs the RTG Committee, said that’s because the programme will undergo a periodic evaluation process.
Hannah was clearly happy with the performance of the 18-year-old Sarawak diver, who qualified for the Paris Olympics courtesy of his 10th placing in the men’s 10-metre (m) platform individual final at the 2023 World Aquatics Championships in Fukuoka, Japan yesterday.
She believes that his performance was because of the experience and confidence he gained from competing in the 2023 SEA Games in Cambodia in May, when he returned home with a silver medal in the men’s 10m platform event, thus ensuring a 1-2 finish for Malaysia.
“I hope there will be more surprises like this (Bertrand’s achievement) from now until next year. It’s a good surprise for us and the RTG will support everyone (athletes) who have the potential to win gold (at the Olympics).
“We can now see there are talented back-ups, this is a very good development for the sports of diving in Malaysia,” she said at the closing of the closing ceremony of the Artalive Challenge Cup Amputee Football 2023 here today.
On Thursday (July 20), Hannah confirmed that the performance and development of RTG athletes would be reviewed in September to determine their places in the programme.
In June, the national men’s hockey squad became the newest member of the RTG in preparation for the 2023 Asian Games (postponed from 2022) in September, which also acts as the Paris Olympics qualifiers. - Bernama