Singapore’s Avvir Tham picks up 3m springboard silver, a day after striking SEA Games gold

BANGKOK: Singapore's Avvir Tham followed up his historic SEA Games diving gold with a silver in the men's 3m springboard finals on Thursday (Dec 18).

He finishedjust behind Thailand's Chawanwat Juntaphadawon (378.30), while Singaporean Max Lee took the bronze (366.00). 

Tham scored 376.55.

It was an exhilarating contest at Assumption University Suvarnabhumi Campus' Aquatic Center, where Lee took an early lead after two dives before Chawanwat pushed ahead.

It came down to Lee and Tham's final dives that would seal their spots on the podium.

"It's super unexpected," said Lee, who made the switch from platform to springboard last year. "I'm just super happy how this competition turned out ... it is really going to give me a huge confidence boost on my springboard (events)."

Lee, along with Ayden Ng, will compete in the men's 3m synchronised springboard final on Friday.

Tham added that he had truly enjoyed the contest and was able to dive without fear.

"I'm super happy because this is the type of competition you dream of. When it's super close and you fight with the opponent, it's so thrilling," he said.

"Unfortunately, I didn't dive to my best but it is okay, I still have a lot I can improve on and do."

At the last edition of the Games, Tham secured bronze in the event.

On Wednesday, he became Singapore's first men's diver to win SEA Games gold in six decades.

In the men's 1m springboard final, Tham registered a personal best score of 370.35, ahead of Chawanwat and Malaysia's Yong Rui Jie. Lee finished fourth, with a personal best score of 319.35.

The last Singaporean to win gold was Hui Peng Seng at the 1965 Games, then known as the South East Asian Peninsular (SEAP) Games. Tham clinched silver in the same event at the 2022