Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, August 19, 2022: The Olympic Council of Asia’s diving development camp has been described as a “fantastic” initiative by experienced FINA official Maths Lindberg of Sweden.
The seven-day camp began on Monday, August 15 and will close on Sunday, August 21; it involves 28 young divers, 15 coaches and 17 judges in a three-pronged development course.
“I think this is something unique from the Olympic Council of Asia – to have this development,” he said.
“I believe the OCA has done this with other sports but doing it with diving is fantastic because this will bring more countries to get more involved in diving and have more diving in the country. The kids that I have seen here are very good; I think they are the coming future for Asia, especially in diving.”
The young divers are aged under 13 and Lindberg believes this is the perfect age for them to grow into the sport.
“They are starting at an age where they are having fun and they are also not ready physically and mentally but they are growing up with it - they are growing up with the diving and they are getting into an interest in the sport and making friends. Making friends is also a part of our sport because, if you have friends in the sport, you will stay there longer and you will have a lot of fun together.”
Lindberg, who is a member of the FINA Technical Diving Committee as well as sitting on the development board and judges sub-committee, said this was the first youth camp he had attended that featured divers, coaches and judges.
“I think it’s a very good idea because then you can talk to each other, the coaches and the judges. This is also a development which is more interesting than if you are meeting like elite coaches and elite judges. They know a little bit more.
“Those in development, no. They need to come more and more into it and find ways that they can know each other’s way of coaching and judging. There is a similarity between judging and coaching anyway because we are looking at diving and we are looking at the performance of the dive.”
He added that, while coaches were looking for technique, judges were focusing more on what the rule book says.
“If we do understand each other then we can work together and find a future for diving which could be in development all the time.”
Lindberg praised the sports facilities at the dryland gymnasium and diving pool at the National Aquatic Centre in Bukit Jalil as “exceptionally good” with everything an athlete could need, particularly in terms of springboards and trampolines in the gym.
“The dryland is huge, amazing, and the pool is excellent,” he said.
Regarding the host country, Lindberg added: “I enjoy being here. Malaysia is a nice country to come to, nice people, very friendly. They are taking care of everything, and everything works so well, with very good preparation.
“I think the OCA has done extremely well in the organisation and they are doing a fantastic job. I really appreciate that I am a part of it and I am honoured to be a part of it because it is new and it’s fun. I like it.”
