SEMPORNA: Despite being accustomed to the tropical climate of Malaysia, Roihan Han showcased his diving prowess in frigid waters with temperatures as low as minus 8 degrees Celsius.
The 32-year-old course director from Semporna, who was the sole representative from Malaysia, clinched the fifth position in the recently concluded two-day 10th-anniversary international ice navigation competition held in Vladivostok city, Russia.
"We were assessed based on ice diving safety procedures and navigation timing. I scored 100 per cent on safety procedures.
"Although my navigation timing was 28 seconds slower than the first-place winner, I consider it a learning experience to come back stronger next year," he said, adding that he received an invitation from the Russian Diving Underwater Researchers for the competition.
Han, who has been diving since the age of 10, said that he had previously dived in cold waters in caves worldwide, including Mexico.
However, the water temperatures in those locations were not as extreme as those experienced during the ice diving competition.
"The preparation was challenging initially because I needed to acclimatise to the temperature, and it was my first experience with ice diving.
"During my first dive, my entire face, especially my lips, went numb. However, after a few dives, I managed to adapt and focus on the competition," said Han, who arrived in Russia just three days before the event.
He said scuba diving was a sport, and Malaysia should train more young talents to improve their ability for deeper dives and advanced skills in the area.
Last year, Han made his name in the Malaysia Book of Records for being the first person to successfully dive to a depth of 164m in the waters of Sipadan island.
Meanwhile, he also said that his participation in Russia provided an ideal opportunity to raise awareness about Sipadan Island, which is located in his hometown of Semporna and is well-known around the world.