KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia Aquatics diving technical director Bryan Nickson Lomas is hoping to see "four or five" Malaysian divers qualifying for the Paris Olympics at the Doha World Aquatic Championships which starts on Friday.
Malaysia Aquatics is sending 13 divers, including Pandelela Rinong, Nur Dhabitah Sabri, Wendy Ng and Ooi Tze Liang, to the world meet which also doubles as an Olympic qualifying event.
Bryan said securing Paris qualification is the main priority for Malaysian divers in Doha, as it is their last chances to secure a berth.
"We are hoping to get another four or five divers qualifying for Paris, this does not include Bertrand Rhodict Lises who has already qualified," said Bryan when contacted in Doha today.
"We are not thinking too much about medals for now, the focus is on securing qualification first. They (qualifiers) will mostly likely come from our seniors such as Pandelela, Dhabitah, Wendy, Tze Liang and Syafiq Puteh.
"However, some of our younger divers also have a 50-50 chance of qualifying. Jellson Jabillin has done well in training in the men's individual 10m platform and has a chance if he can perform well in the competition. Rhodict and Enrique Maccartney Harold have also been promising as a pair in the men's 10m platform synchronised."
To qualify for Paris, divers have to achieve a top-12 finish in the individual events and top-four in the synchronised events.
Bryan confirmed that Dhabitah, who had been hampered by a wrist injury last year, will be competing in the women's 10m platform synchronised alongside Pandelela, the 3m springboard synchronised with Wendy, as well as the 3m springboard individual.
Tze Liang and Syafiq will pair up in the men's 3m springboard synchronised and the duo will also compete in the 3m springboard individual.
The squad:
Men's: Ooi Tze Liang, Syafiq Puteh, Gabriel Gilbert Daim, Hanis Nazirul Jayasurya, Jellson Jabillin, Bertrand Rhodict Lises, Enrique Maccartney Harold.
Women's: Pandelela Rinong, Wendy Ng, Nur Dhabitah Sabri, Kimberly Bong, Ong Ker Ying, Nur Elisha Rania Muhammad Abrar Raj.