KUCHING: National diving queen Pandelela Rinong earned another accolade when she was named national woman Olympian of the Year for 2012.
The Bau native received her award, which came with RM10,000 cash from the Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Abdul Halim Mu’adzam Shah at the 20th Olympian of theYear dinner last Friday.
Also present were the Raja Permaisuri Agong Tuanku Hajah Haminah, Deputy Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Razali Ibrahim and Olympic Council of Malaysia (OCM) president Tan Sri Tunku Imran Tuanku Ja’afar.
The 19-year-old was chosen to receive the award by the OCM Executive Board for her performance at the London Olympics last July.
Sarawak-born Pandelela became the first Malaysian woman athlete to bring home an Olympic medal by winning a bronze in the 10-metre platform event.
Datuk Lee Chong Wei was named men’s Olympian of the Year for 2012 for winning a silver medal in the men’s singles badminton at the London Olympics. He also received RM10,000.