Henry (second right) presents a gift to Pandelela, as others including DBNA president Datu Ik Pahon (third left) look on.
Pandelela (middle row, fourth right), flanked by Henry on her left and Ik Pahon and others after the dinner.
KUCHING: A local corporate figure Dato Henry Harry Jinep presented RM10,000 as a birthday gift to national diving queen Pandelela Rinong in conjunction with her 23rd birthday on Wednesday night.
The Putra Sentosa Group of Companies chief executive officer also pledged another RM50,000 to Pandelela if she wins a gold medal at the upcoming Olympic Games to be held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil this August.
“We feel proud of your successes. You deserve to be known as a Bidayuh icon because your achievements brought honour and respect to the Bidayuh community, as well as inspiring young people to dream big and do well at the international stage. Therefore, I hope these contributions from Putra Sentosa will be a morale boost for you in the Olympics,” he said at the birthday dinner hosted by Dayak Bidayuh National Association (DBNA).
Henry also suggested for Bau to have a recreational centre equipped with swimming pool as training ground for budding divers in the district.
“Bau is Pandelela’s hometown and also my hometown. I remember not too long ago there was a news report on a proposal to build a swimming pool or aquatic centre in Bau, but nothing has materialised yet.
“Therefore, I suggest that a recreational centre equipped with swimming pool be built instead where families can bring their children for recreation and develop their interest in swimming and diving. It does not have to be an Olympic-size pool, but just good enough for another young person from Bau to follow his/her dream to be the next Pandelela,” he said.
Meanwhile, Pandelela in her speech revealed her plans to bring her parents Parng Joheng and Hartini Lamim together to Rio to watch her in action in the Olympics.
“I ask all of you to pray for our safe journey and also pray for my success in the Olympics,” she said, while thanking DBNA for hosting the dinner.
Also invited to the dinner were Amateur Swimming Union of Malaysia (Asum) secretary Mae Chen, national diving coach Yang Zhuliang and Pandelela’s national team mates whom she described as her second family.
Pandelela and the team had just returned from the Diving World Cup 2016 also held in Rio late last month, where she and Cheong Jun Hoong won the silver in the women’s 10m platform synchronised event and earned the spot for this event in the upcoming Olympics.
She has also booked an Olympic spot in the women’s 10m platform individual after finishing third in last year’s World Aquatics Championships in Kazan, Russia.
Pandelela is hailed the nation’s diving queen after she became the first woman to win an Olympic bronze in the women’s 10m platform individual in the London Olympics four years ago.