KUALA LUMPUR – Former SEA Games women’s 3m springboard gold medallist Kimberly Bong has admitted that she no longer feels motivated to continue training, prompting her to quit the national diving camp recently.
Now that she has opened up about the reason behind her retirement, Kimberly said she will switch her focus to completing her studies in sports management at Universiti Malaya.
“The decision to retire was not due to injury but I just don’t have the drive to train anymore. For now, I will focus on my studies.
“I still have one and a half years of university to go before starting work. I do not have any specific goals; I am just going with the flow of what comes my way,” she said.
Kimberly won her first individual SEA Games gold medal in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, last year and ended Malaysia’s 13-year wait for a diving medal at the 2023 World University Games with Ong Ker Ying as the duo took home the women’s 3m springboard synchronised silver medal in Chengdu, China.
Kimberly said she is unsure about returning to the sport in a different capacity, including being a coach in the future.
The 21-year-old thanked the Malaysian Swimming Federation (MAS) and National Sports Council (NSC) for their unwavering support throughout her career.
“I am proud and honoured to serve the country. Without them (MAS and NSC), I would not be able to become who I am today,” she said.
The Sarawakian also expressed sadness at leaving her teammates, with whom she had shared a close bond over the past 15 years.
Kimberly showed great potential as she took the fourth spot in the women’s 10m platform and sixth in the women’s 3m springboard at the 2018 Youth Olympic Games in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
However, a series of injuries, including to her shoulder and hip, took a toll on her career progression.
She is the second national female diver to announce her retirement this year, following Wendy Ng Yan Yee’s announcement last month after two decades of diving. – May 23, 2024