KUALA LUMPUR: It has sadly come to this stage. The talent pool for Malaysia's women's divers has finally run dry.
For the first time in 24 years, there will be no women's divers from Malaysia for the Paris Olympics from July 26-Aug 11.
For diving fans who are used to seeing Pandelela Rinong and Co competing in the Olympics, and even winning medals, this must come as a shock.
Nur Dhabitah Sabri and Wendy Ng were Malaysia's last women's Olympic hopes today, but they failed to qualify from the 3-metre springboard individual in the World Championships in Doha.
Nur Dhabitah, 24, could only finish 24th with 238.15 points while the 30-year-old Wendy ranked 38th with 216.00 points out of 52 divers to falter in the preliminary round.
Australia's Maddison Keeney topped the preliminaries with 304.45, China's Chen Yiwen was second with 297.75 and the United States' Sarah Bacon was third with 297.45.
The duo had needed to rank in the top 18 to reach the semi-finals and be in the running for an Olympic berth.
Dhabitah and Wendy had earlier missed out on the women's 3m platform synchronised yesterday after ranking ninth overall.
Nur Dhabitah and Pandelela had earlier also missed out on an Olympic ticket after finishing 12th in the women's 10m platform synchronised.
Women's divers have been Malaysia's mainstay at the Olympics since the 2000 Sydney edition. Pandelela was the first Malaysian women's diver to win an Olympic medal, clinching bronze in the 10m platform at the 2012 London edition.
At the 2016 Rio Olympics, Pandelela paired up with world champion Cheong Jun Hoong to win the synchronised 10m platform silver.