KUALA LUMPUR – After a long and decorated career, former national diver Wendy Ng Yan Yee feels that it is time to let go and move on to the next chapter of her life.
Wendy announced her retirement on her social media on Monday, bringing an end to a 20-year career.
She started diving at the age of 11, having started out as a rhythmic gymnast.
National head coach Yang Zhuliang convinced her to switch sports as he saw that Wendy had a good physique for diving.
A springboard specialist, she spent her entire career on the 3m platform in individual and synchro events.
The 31-year-old spent a total of 17 years representing the country, featuring in five SEA Games – winning seven gold and three silver medals.
She also took part in four Asian Games, bringing home one silver from each outing.
Birmingham 2022 was her sole appearance at the Commonwealth Games, where she took home a silver.
The three-time Olympian made her debut at London 2012, then competed at Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020. Unfortunately, she never medalled at the Olympic level.
“I just feel like it’s time to move forward to another stage of my life,” the Kuala Lumpur-born Wendy told Scoop.
“In 20 years of diving, I represented the country for the past 17 years, and I’m extremely grateful and proud of myself and my achievements.
“Of course, I will miss every moment, but letting go and moving forward is part of the journey of life.”
Unfortunately, Wendy’s career is not without controversy as her two gold medals in the individual and mixed springboard synchro events at the 2017 Kuala Lumpur SEA Games were stripped from her.
She had tested positive for sibutramine, a stimulant commonly found in slimming products, and in March 2018, was handed an eight-month ban by the international water sports governing body World Aquatics, then known as Fina.
However, the ban was backdated to August 2017, meaning she finished serving her ban in April 2018.
“I may not always be perfect, I may not always be coordinated but just like diving, this is the way of life.
“It brings us all kinds of setbacks, failures, pressure, and doubts, but that has shaped the person I have become,” she said in a video announcing her retirement on her Instagram page.
Wendy is currently coaching infant swimming classes and diving while finishing her master’s degree in nutrition.
“I’m also working on a business venture, I’m keeping it a secret right now but I will announce it when the time comes.” – April 20, 2024