A Dive Into Destiny

Meet Bertrand Rhodict Lises, the 18-year-old diving sensation who is making waves as the first Malaysian to dive into the spotlight at the upcoming Paris Olympics

- Sim Wie Boon

At just 18 years old, Bertrand Rhodict Lises has created a splash in the realm of diving. Carrying the weight of expectations on his shoulders, his unexpected advancement to the final of the men's 10-metre platform individual event at the World Aquatic Championships 2023 in Fukuoka not only made headlines but also distinguished him as the first Malaysian to clinch a spot in the forthcoming Paris Olympics.

Lises's journey into the world of diving had a whimsical start. Initially coerced into swimming, a sport that failed to ignite his passion, fate intervened. Next to the swimming pool lay a diving pool, and it was there, at the age of four, that Lises found his true calling.

"I actually have a family background (in sports); most of my family members are into sports. I started swimming because my brother and sister were swimmers. And then my mother was like, 'just send me together to at least have something to do' because I'm that energetic kind of person; I cannot sit still. So my mother sent me to swim, recalls Lises.

What began as an escape from the monotony of swimming lessons soon blossomed into an enduring love for the art of diving. "I actually started diving as a hobby. I went there to kill time and have fun. After I turned seven years old, I started to take things seriously because when Pandelela Rinong made her name, and it was all over Malaysia, I realised there's a future in diving, so I started taking it seriously," he says.