singapore’s Avvir Tham Makes History with first Men’s SEA Games Diving Gold in 60 Years
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Singaporean diver Avvir Tham achieved a monumental feat on December 17th, securing the nation’s first men’s gold medal in diving at the SEA Games in six decades. The 21-year-old’s personal best score of 370.35 points at the Assumption University Suvarnabhumi Campus Aquatic Center in Bangkok shattered a 60-year drought for Singaporean men in the event, a legacy last upheld by Hui Peng Seng in 1965.
Overcoming the Odds
Heading into the final of the men’s 1m springboard, Avvir Tham wasn’t considered a frontrunner. While he had earned a silver medal at the 2022 Hanoi Games and possessed the sixth-highest total difficulty score among the nine competitors, Malaysia had dominated the event since 2005, entering the competition as the clear favorite.
The early stages of the competition saw Lee leading after the first two dives, before Yong took the lead following the third. Tham initially held second place after his forward 2 somersaults, slipping to fifth after the back 1 somersault, and then rebounding to third after the reverse 2 somersaults.
A Surge in the Second Half
It was in the latter half of the program that Tham truly shone. A powerful inward 2 somersaults propelled him into the lead, which he maintained with flawlessly executed forward 3 somersaults and forward 2 somersaults with a twist. This consistent performance showcased not onyl his technical skill but also his growing mental fortitude.
“It feels incredible,” Tham shared after his victory. “The moment I finished my last dive and realised that I got gold, it felt like all these years of hard work and failures that I’ve endured built me up to this very moment and everything paid off.”
Mental Fortitude and a Renewed Program
Tham attributed his success to improvements in his mental strength since his first major international competition in 2022. “I believe that I have reached a level to be able to achieve this medal,” he stated. “All I needed to do was just do in competition what I do in training and believe in the work that I put in, which I think I did very well, try to do my best dives and let the results happen on its own. I think that it all came together pretty nicely and there were no big mistakes.”
This victory marks a significant turning point for Singapore diving, a program that was revitalized in 2009 following the nation’s selection to host the inaugural Youth Olympic Games in 2010. After a 28-year absence, Singapore returned to the SEA Games podium in 2013, and Tham’s gold represents the latest milestone in the program’s resurgence. Singapore’s previous SEA Games diving gold came in 2017, when Ashlee Tan and Fong Kay Yian were awarded gold in the women’s 3m synchronised springboard after the original winners were disqualified due to a doping violation involving Malaysia’s Wendy Ng.
Inspiring the Next Generation
Tham expressed his hope that his achievement will inspire more young people to take up the sport. “I’m super proud to take home this gold medal for Singapore and I hope there’s many more to come,” he said. “Winning this is of great importance to me, because I hope we can inspire more people to join diving and experience this sport that I love so much.”
National diving coach Charlie Tu lauded Tham’s dedication and resilience. “This is a great testament to his commitment to training as well as his mental resilience and perseverance,” Tu commented. “It’s especially heartening to see his progress from the last few SEA Games and I’m so pleased for him. Over the last few years, we have developed a clear pathway for our athletes, providing them crucial support and assistance to help them go further in their career. We also have a system in place that helps identify and nurture talent, so that we can grow our pool of divers and continue to achieve glory for Singapore.”
