Jonathan Chan makes history as first Singaporean diver to qualify for Olympics
SINGAPORE — Singapore diver Jonathan Chan created a slice of sporting history on Sunday (8 September), when he clinched the gold medal in the men’s 10m platform event at the Asian Diving Cup in Kuala Lumpur.
In doing so, he became the first Singaporean diver to qualify for the Olympic Games, courtesy of being a winner at the elite event. He is also the first Singapore athlete to officially book his place at the 2020 Tokyo Games.
The 22-year-old scored 407.90 points for his dives, beating China’s Wang Zewei (393.45 points) and North Korea's Ri Kwon Hyok (347.25) for the gold.
He told The Straits Times after his win, “I was happy, but it was more disbelief that I felt because there was a Chinese diver and they usually sweep the medals.
"I'm still in shock, it hasn't really dawned on me yet. I hope that I will be the first of many more divers to qualify and that this will inspire my teammates to work towards qualification so that we can go to Tokyo together.”
Chan, a second-year student at the Singapore University of Technology and Design, had previously won two silvers and three bronzes at the 2015 and 2017 SEA Games.
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