KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia Aquatics (MAS) said the departures of Li Jun Bai and Li Jun Song underline its insistence on performance benchmarks and long-term alignment within the national diving programme.
Jun Bai joined the national team in 2022 and was assigned to the Podium squad last year alongside fellow Chinese coach Mao Lin and former national diver Nor Aznizal Najib.
Jun Bai was key to guiding Sarawakian Bertrand Rhodict Lises to the final of the men’s 10m platform event at the 2023 World Championships in Fukuoka, Japan.
Bertrand’s final appearance made him the first Malaysian athlete to qualify for the 2024 Paris Olympics
Reports indicate that Jun Bai has since accepted an offer from Singapore Aquatics.
Jun Song, meanwhile, was assigned to the Fast Track programme aimed at developing divers for the 2032 Brisbane Olympics, working together with former SEA Games gold medallist Farah Begum Abdullah.
Both coaches’ contracts expired in December and were not renewed.
MAS diving technical director Yeoh Ken Nee (pic) said the departures followed internal reviews, with Jun Bai’s exit linked to unmet Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) tied to his coaching contract, while Jun Song’s coaching approach was found to be misaligned with the association’s broader direction.
“The association closely monitors both coach and athlete progression on an ongoing basis,” Ken Nee said when contacted today.
“In the case of Li Jun Bai, the decision was related to his coaching contract, as several of the divers under his supervision did not meet the agreed KPIs.”
Ken Nee added that Jun Song’s situation was assessed differently, with the focus on long-term planning rather than short-term results.
“For Jun Song, his coaching approach was assessed and found not to be fully aligned with the association’s long-term vision and direction for the programme,” he said.
“These changes were managed through internal review processes.”
Ken Nee acknowledged that the departures have had some impact, particularly on elite divers who were directly under the coaches’ supervision, but insisted that the programme remains stable while they find replacements for the two coaches.
“Their departures have had some short-term impact, particularly on elite divers who were directly under their supervision,” he said.
“However, the existing technical foundation, structured training programmes and experienced coaching team have ensured that preparations continue with minimal disruption.”
He added that training plans and athlete monitoring systems remain firmly in place to maintain performance standards as MAS moves forward with its long-term development goals.
MAS’ current diving coaching set-up
Podium Programme coaches: Mao Lin, Nor Aznizal Najib
Backup Squad coaches: Lu Jia Ning,
Datuk Leong Mun Yee, Ooi Tze Liang
Fast Track coach: Farah Begum Abdullah.