Tham hopes historic gold will be first of many

Heading into the SEA Games men's Im springboard final, Singapore's Avvir Tham was not among the favourites.

- David Lee Senior Sports Correspondent

While Tham, who had the sixth-highest total difficulty score among the nine divers in the final, earned a silver in this event at the Hanoi Games in 2022, Malaysia's divers were highly fancied as they had won this event since 2005.

But by the end of the competition at Assumption University Suvarnabhumi Campus Aquatic Center on Dec 17, the 21-year-old emerged from the pool as the first Singaporean man to clinch a SEA Games diving gold in 60 years, topping the standings with a personal best of 370.35 points.

He is the first male diver from the Republic to do so since Hui Peng Seng won the men's springboard diving (required dives) gold in 1965.

Meanwhile, Thailand's Chawanwat Juntaphadawon (357.80) fought his way back from last place after his first dive to claim silver, while Malaysia's Yong Rui Jie (354.55), a last-minute replacement for the experienced Syafiq Puteh, who was rested for his pet 3m event, got bronze.

Tham's 18-year-old teammate Max Lee also recorded a personal best of 319.35 to place fourth.