Tze Liang hopes his last Commonwealth Games will be a memorable one

SEPANG: National diver, Ooi Tze Liang hopes that his last appearance at the Commonwealth Games currently underway in Birmingham, England will be a memorable one.

The 2014 Commonwealth Games gold medallist in Glasgow, Scotland in the men's 3 metre (m) springboard said he has been training twice as hard to ensure he will be in top form in the prestigious multi-sport Games..

"I'm already 28 years old, so it's time to move on... Of course I've made sure to do extra work for this edition which will be my last Commonwealth Games.

"I hope to be able to enjoy the competition and use all the diving techniques that I have learned so far," he said when met at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) prior to leaving for Birmingham.

Commenting further, he hopes to be able to perform his best dives compared to the last edition in Gold Coast, Australia which saw him finish in 10th place in the 3m springboard and fourth in the men's 3m synchronised springboard together with Chew Yi Wei.

SPORTS-DIVING (TZE LIANG) 2 (LAST) KUALA LUMPUR

This time, Tze Liang will still team up with Yi Wei in the men's 3m synchronised springboard, The diving competition at the Sandwell Aquatic Centre, Birmingham starts this Thursday (Aug 4).

Tze Liang said he had already held discussions with Yi Wei to formulate strategies to strengthen their diving techniques in Birmingham.

"Four years ago we had just changed the coach and at that time the diving team was unstable but this time the national (diving) squad is in a better position," he said.

The Olympic Council of Malaysia (OCM have identified diving as a gold prospect in Birmingham alongside badminton, lawn bowls, powerlifting, rhythmic gymnastics and weightlifting.

The Birmingham Commonwealth Games which officially started on Thursday ends on Aug 8. Some 6,500 athletes from 72 countries and territories are taking part in it.

-- BERNAMA