Pandelela Rinong and Mohd Al Jufferi Jamari. — Bernama photo
PUTRAJAYA, Selangor: Sarawak’s Pandelela Rinong is primed to bring home a medal from the 2016 Olympic Games, after winning the Sportswoman of the Year at the 2015 National Sports Awards on Wednesday.
The victory has inspired the national diving queen for a medal flourish in Brazil this August.
Pandelela, 23, who has previously won the award in 2011, and 2013, said her focus now was to improve her diving performance in the final three months leading up to the world’s biggest sporting event.
“This is my third (Sportswoman) award and I am really glad, and want to thank everyone who has supported me.
“After this, there are no other (diving) meets, my full attention will be on training and preparing for Rio. I will most probably undergo training abroad in the near future,” she said after winning the award at the
Putrajaya International Convention Centre (PICC), here on Wednesday night.
Meanwhile, national silat athlete Mohd Al Jufferi Jamari, who was named as Sportsman of the Year, described the award as a significant achievement for the sport of silat, which has generally been given less attention compared to other sports.
“I am very grateful for winning this award after only being nominated in the final six in the two previous editions.
“This award will also inspire other silat athletes to bring glory to the country in the international arena,” said the native of Kuantan, Pahang, who won gold in the Putera E category (65-70kg) at the 16th World Silat Championships in Phuket last year.
Al-Jufferi and Pandelela each received a trophy, a certificate and a cash prize of RM20,000
from Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Abdul Halim Mu’adzam Shah.
Also present were Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak and Youth and Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin. — Bernama