Pandelela Gets To Showcase Her Talent At FINA Diving World Series

By LIM TEIK HUAT

PETALING JAYA: Young Sarawak diver Pandelela Rinong has another chance to impress the judges when she competes in the FINA Diving World Series, starting with the first leg in Qingdao this weekend.

She will compete in the individual 10m platform as well as partner Leong Mun Yee in the 3m springboard synchronised.

The duo are the only Malaysians invited to compete in the World Series, which will also make stops in Veracruz, Mexico (April 16-17), and Sheffield, Britain (April 23-24).

Pandelela stamped her mark as the latest diving gem from Sarawak with an impressive showing in the Youth Olympic Games diving qualifiers in Guadalajara, Mexico, two weeks ago.

The 17-year-old, who hails from Kampung Jugan in Bau – about 30km from Kuching – earned qualification in style for the inaugural Games in Singapore this August by taking gold in the 10m platform and silver in the 3m springboard.

Drill time: Malaysian diver Pandelela Rinong going through the works in her preparation for the first leg of the World Series.

Amateur Swimming Union of Malaysia (Asum) secretary Edwin Chong said Pandelela and Mun Yee were invited on the strength of their bronze medal achievement in the women’s 3m springboard synchronised event at the World Championships in Rome last year.

“They finished among the top ranked divers after the world meet and we received confirmation of their participation for the World Series,” said Edwin.

“Pandelela has also been invited for the individual platform as she finished fifth in the world meet last year.
“This is a top tier event as only the top six pairs in the world are invited for the synchronised events and the top eight for the individual.

“The Olympic and world championships winners will also be competing and it will be good for our divers to be exposed to the foreign judges ahead of the Commonwealth Games and Asian Games.
“It is not a targeted meet for them but, more importantly, we want them to execute what they have learned in training.

“The focus for all the senior divers this year will be the New Delhi Commonwealth Games (in October) and the Guangzhou Asian Games (in November).”
As one of the youngest athletes included for the Road to London programme, Pandelela is hoping to make a breakthrough in her maiden Commonwealth and Asian Games appearances later this year.

Pandelela won the 10m platform individual and synchronised events at the Laos SEA Games in Vientiane as the Malaysian diving squad brought home a total of six gold medals.
She was roped into the national diving squad three years ago and stamped her mark in her World Championships debut in Rome last year, finishing fifth in the 10m platform event.
“She is one of our medal hopes at the Asiad and Commonwealth Games. We have not won a medal in the women’s synchronised event at the Commonwealth Games and we will prepare them for this challenge,” said Edwin.