Malaysia’s Pamg Pandelela Rinong competes in the women’s 10m platform final during the diving event at the London 2012 Olympic Games, in this Aug, 2012 file photo in London. — AFP photo
KUCHING: Malaysia’s Pandelela Rinong proved she is among the world’s elite when she took the silver medal in the women’s 10m individual platform event at the opening leg of FINA Diving World Series 2014 held in Beijing yesterday. She scored a total of 368.5 points to finish behind China’s Liu Huixia who scored 412.9. Britain’s Tonia Couch captured the bronze after she accumulated 357.9 points.
The Sarawak-born diver, who was the first female in the nation’s history to win an Olympic Games medal in 2012, gave a confident and poised display in the final of the event. She remained in second position throughout all the final five dives. After four rounds Pandelela had a tally of 291.7 points. The only threat as the six finalists entered their final dive came from Mexican Alejandra Orozco who was lying third with 286.7. But nerves got the better of Alejandra who had a disastrous dive to end up last among the finalists.
Two days earlier, Pandelela had combined with Leong Mun Yee to clinch the bronze medal in the 10m platform synchro event. The duo were among six Malaysian divers who qualified to compete in Beijing. Only the the world’s top eight ranked divers in each event are invited to compete in the six-leg FINA Diving World Series.
Assistant Sports Minister Datuk Lee Kim Shin expressed his admiration for Pandelela with her latest achievement.
Speaking to The Borneo Post yesterday, he conveyed his congratulations to Sarawak’s diving queen and hoped that she will continue her fine services as a sportswoman for the country.
“What she did made Sarawak proud again. We hope that she will never give up in her quest to become the best among the best,” he added.
Lee also wished that Pandelela could some day bring home the nation’s first ever Olympic gold medal.
“She can do it as we know that she has that winning attitude. She already has what it takes to be a world class athlete,” he added.