PETALING JAYA, July 24 — Former world class diver Yeoh Ken Nee has won 15 gold medals and a silver in SEA Games since 1995.

The now 34-year-old, was also Malaysia’s first diver to qualify for the Olympics when he did so in Sydney 2000. 

However, despite his success none knew he was actually scared of heights.

As such, he wants to inspire athletes to achieve success as “nothing is impossible”.

“I joined diving when I was 10 when my parents took me for a swimming. However I was selected for diving as they said it suited me physically.

“At that time, I did not know what was diving and had no idea what the sport was all about,” said the Kuala Lumpur-born Ken Nee.

Ken Nee who is the pioneer of diving in Malaysia then realised the sport required the athletes to jump from a high point.

“I was scared to death until coaches threatened to kick my a**e!

“It was a struggled but despite all that, I decided to never give up.

“I fought my feelings and fortunately I managed to overcome that until I managed to be the world class diver and Olympian,” said Ken Nee who retired after the 2012 London Olympics.

Ken Nee said with the upcoming Kuala Lumpur SEA Games, athletes should overcome their fears to succeed.

“If I can do it, so can they. We need to rise together and beat that dark side. Nothing impossible in this world, you just have to fight it all out,” he urged.

After retirement, Ken Nee worked as a national back up coach but recently worked as team coordinator. 

Ken Nee was in the first batch chosen to start the diving in Malaysia in preparations of 1998 Commonwealth Games.

He competed at the 2000 Olympics in Sydney being the first Malaysian to qualified in 3m springboard individual and 3m syncro with Azreen Bahari.

In 2009 he competed in the 2009 World Championships in 3m synchro springboard and 3m springboard, finishing in 11th and 29th position respectively.

He competed in the 2012 Olympics in London and was the first Malaysian to qualify for a final of an 3m springboard individual event at the Olympics — when he was ranked 10th.

Ken Nee is married to national volleyball player Ong Yuet Wei and on June 9, became parents to a baby boy named Yeoh Shi.

 

In KL Games next month, Ken Nee will be one of the judges for diving.