Malaysia’s Nur Dhabitah Sabri competes in the individual women’s diving one meter final at the 31st Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games) at the National Aquatics Centre in Hanoi on May 8, 2022. Dhabitah won the gold while the Philippines’ bet Ariana Drake finished fourth in the event. (Photo by Nhac NGUYEN / AFP)
Ariana Drake finished fourth in the women’s 1-meter springboard of diving on Sunday afternoon, a performance that could augur well for the youngster in future Southeast Asian Games.
Only 17 and a SEA Games-first-timer, Drake was ranged against experienced divers Nur Dhabitah Sabri and Kimberly Bong Quian, who finished 1-2 in the event, thus, allowing Malaysia to win the first top medals of the Games that has yet to formally open on Thursday.
Sabri, a multi-medalist in Commonwealth and Asian Games and owner of four SEA Games gold medals, scored 290.45 points while her equally experienced teammate posted 230.00 points for the silver.
Vietnam also got into the medal tally board early on Ngo Phuong Mai’s bronze in the event with a 224.00 score in the diving competitions being staged at the My Dinh Aquatics Center in Hanoi.
Drake will compete in the women’s 3-meter springboard on Tuesday. The 1-meter springboard for women wasn’t on the Philippine SEA Games program in 2019.