Tze Liang, whose highest achievement was winning gold in the men’s 3m springboard at the 2014 Commonwealth Games, has thrown down the gauntlet to his compatriots to step up and create a bigger splash in the pool.

“I think they must work harder, more so if they want to take my place. They have to win first,” he told reporters after taking home gold in the men’s 3m springboard at the 58th Malaysia Invitational Age Group (MIAG) Diving Championships here today.

The two-times Asian Games silver medallist also said that he puts in more than 100% effort every time he participates in a competition.

He says this is because he feels indebted to the National Sports Council who have entrusted him with a contract and allowances.

The 29-year-old diver will not feature in the 2023 SEA Games squad, and hopes that both Syafiq Puteh and Gabriel Gilbert Daim will go all out to maintain their gold and silver medals respectively in the men’s 3m springboard event at next month’s biennial games in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.

The Penang-born athlete said he will give full attention to his next assignment, the World Aquatics Diving World Cup 2023 to be held in Montreal, Canada from May 5 to 7.

In January, national assistant coach Leong Mun Yee announced that elite divers would be left out of the 2023 SEA Games team so as to give exposure to young divers at the international level.

Earlier today, Tze Liang oozed class as he amassed 452.35 points to emerge as champion. He was followed by teammates Chew Yi Wei, who took silver with 407.10 points, and Syafiq Puteh, who settled for bronze with 402.70 points.

Despite being unable to outdo Tze Liang in the men’s 3m springboard, Yi Wei still managed to take home gold for the national team in the men’s synchronised 3m springboard with Gabriel with 341.49 points.

Singaporean duo, Ayden Ng-Kenji Tan claimed the silver medal with 258.45 points while Awang Sharzan Nasrin-Soh Tze Kang of Sarawak secured the bronze with 251.22 points.

The three-day meet ends on April 3.