Pandelela charms fans on Yahoo!’s Question Time

Posted on August 16, 2012, Thursday

Pandelela Rinong on Yahoo! Malaysia’s Question Time, Photo credit: Yahoo! Malaysia

KUCHING: Sarawakian diving sensation Pandelela Rinong Pamg charmed fans during a live chat session on Yahoo! Malaysia’s Question Time this morning.

Very much the girl next door, the Olympic bronze medallist replied to questions from fans and the media on her training, hobbies and even ideal partner with short and straightforward answers.

Clad in a T-shirt declaring ‘I’m famous because of my mum’, Pandelela showed her playful and fun side along with an obsession for Korean pop music or K-pop.

She revealed that she listens to K-pop sensations Big Bang after every dive and hoped to visit Seoul, South Korea one day, while her nickname Lulu GDolphine is a “combination of anime+k-pop+dolphin”.

Yahoo! Malaysia said Pandelela was “all smiles, giggling and laughing” while answering questions, calling her “Comel sangat!” (Very cute).

The 19-year-old, who will return to Kuching next Tuesday (Aug 21) at 12.30pm, said if she was not a diver, she would like to be a cheerleader or flight attendant.

However, Lela, as she is known to loved ones, revealed her true passion for the sport saying she would continue to dive competitively “as long as I am alive” referring to Big Bang’s song ‘Alive’.

On what China’s gold medallist Chen Roulin had that she didn’t, Pandelela answered: “She is a full-time athlete while I am training while studying. She has a very strict coach while my coach is more (of a) gentleman.”

She added that she would “keep training hard” as every win made it all worthwhile.

When asked how she felt when her mother Hartini Lamim was unable to stay for the finals in London due to financial considerations, Pandelela replied: “Very, very sad … because she is my motivation.”

On a happier note, she managed to see Oxford Street and said London is “Cool! The weather is ridiculous”.

She also saw Queen Elizabeth II at the Olympic Village and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge at the aquatic centre.

Pandelela added she is very happy that she and silver medallist Datuk Lee Chong Wei have been invited to tea with Prince William and Princess Catherine during their official visit to Malaysia next month in conjunction with the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations.

Demonstrating humility and that both her feet are still firmly on the ground despite her achievements, Pandelela said she would not be coming up with an autobiography like Chong Wei because: “I am not as good as Datuk Lee. I still have a lot to learn.”

On whether she thinks about being awarded a Datukship in recognition of her achievements she said, “I don’t want to be old yet … but it’s an honour to receive that”.

When asked to complete the sentence “I am proud to be a Sarawakian because …” Pandelela said “of their fighting spirit that will never give up!”

Demonstrating that Sarawakian fighting spirit, she said her next goal in life is “to make my country proud” and called on all Malaysians for support to help her progress further.

The live chat, which lasted slightly over an hour, ended with this from a fan called Wangdu: “Will you marry me?”

Without missing a beat, Pandelela replied light-heartedly: “Yes in the SIMS (life-simulation video game), be my neighbour!”

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