Olympian Pandelela nominated for Best Women Athlete Award

Top athletes: Pandelela (right) and Leong Mun Yee with their bronze medals for the women’s 10m platform synchronised diving in the 15th FINA World Championships at Piscina Municipal de Montjuic in Barcelona in this file pic.

KUCHING: London Olympic Games medalist Pandelela Rinong Pamg has been nominated for the Sarawak State Sports Council (MSNS) Sports Awards 2011-2012.

MSNS media officer Sukiman Sela said Pandelela, who won a bronze medal in the diving event at last year’s Olympic Games in London and the MSNS Best Women Athlete 2009-2010, has been nominated for the Best Women Athlete Award.

Also nominated is Esmelda Arecia Menti, who was named XVI Malaysia Games best sportswoman this year in Kuala Lumpur. Esmelda took home two gold, three silver and one bronze medals for Sarawak.

In the best team awards will be wushu and women’s volleyball team.

“We received overwhelming response this time with 45 from 71 nominees having been shortlisted for various categories of the awards,” said Sukiman.

He said for the athlete awards, the selection would be made based on their achievements at the Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games, Asia Games, SEA Games and the Malaysia Games.

Among the categories competed are the Best Men’s Athlete, Best Women’s Athelete, Men’s Promising Athlete, Women’s Promising Athlete, Best Men Paralympic Athlete, Best Women Paralympic Athlete, Best Coach, Best Paralympic coach, Sports Leadership Awards, Best Men Team, Best Women Team, Best Sport Writers in the English, Bahasa Melayu and Mandarin categories.

There will also be Sports Special Awards and Tokoh Sukan.

The awards presentation will be held in Sibu on Nov 23.

Sukiman said it would be the first time the awards presentation would be held outside Kuching.

Sukiman said Miri would be the next host after Sibu.

“Sibu and Miri are a powerhouse in several sports and as such it is just appropriate that they become the host of MSNS Sports Awards.

Furthermore, he said, the two towns would also become the venues for several events in the 2016 Malaysia Games.

The objective of the sports awards is to show appreciation to athletes, coaches, sports associations and the media for their contribution towards the development and sports in Sarawak.

MSNS Sports Awards was first held in 1971 and since 1994 it was held one in two years.