YOUNG national diver Elvis Priestly Clement has credited reigning world champion Cassiel Rousseau for transforming his approach to competitive pressure through a simple piece of advice.
The 18-year-old revealed that the Australian diving star advised him to simply “enjoy the game” during their encounter at the recent World Aquatics Championships in Singapore.
Elvis explained that this brief conversation during mealtime with other Malaysian divers provided crucial insight into managing mental challenges at the highest level of competition.
“We asked him how he dealt with pressure because we are quite weak in terms of mentality,“ Elvis told reporters at the 60th Malaysia Invitational Age Group Diving Championships.
The Sarawakian diver noted that his confidence has significantly improved since implementing Rousseau’s advice after previously struggling with nerves during competitions.
Elvis demonstrated his growing composure by winning gold in the men’s 3m springboard event with a score of 365.70 points at the National Aquatic Centre in Bukit Jalil.
Kuala Lumpur divers Nurqayyum Nazmi Mohamad Nazim and Yong Rui Jie claimed silver and bronze with scores of 353.85 and 352.10 points respectively.
Despite making his world championship debut, Elvis emerged as Malaysia’s top performer in Singapore with notable achievements across multiple events.
He qualified for the semi-finals in the men’s 10m platform and partnered Enrique Maccartney Harold to a historic seventh-place finish in the synchronised platform event.
Elvis expressed satisfaction with his current performance despite managing a left waist injury sustained during training the previous week.
The diver remains hopeful for full recovery ahead of upcoming competitions including the Asian Aquatics Championships in India and his maiden SEA Games appearance in Thailand.
Meanwhile, Enrique Maccartney Harold claimed the men’s platform gold medal with 377.20 points, narrowly defeating Olympian Bertrand Rhodict Lises.
In the women’s platform event, 2023 SEA Games gold medallist Lee Yiat Qing secured victory with 283.25 points ahead of Sarawak’s Nur Elisha Rania Muhammad Abrar Raj. – Bernama
