Pandalela's Rocking Weekend

SUBANG JAYA: It was a weekend she'll never forget.

National diver Pandalela Rinong (pic) was still in a daze after watching her idol, Taiwanese Jay Chou, perform live at the Putra Stadium on Saturday.

She looked tired and was seen yawning a couple of times.

However, her eyes lit up when she was named Top National Athlete of 2010 at the Sportswriters Association of Malaysia-100Plus Media Awards luncheon at a leading hotel in Subang yesterday.

"I'm really happy. I didn't expect it and it's a great feeling. I got to see Jay Chou and now I got this award," said Pandalela.

But Pandalela quickly turned her attention towards qualifying for the London Olympics next year.

"There's going to be a lot of things going on. My next assignment is the Diving World Series in Moscow (March 18-19) but the main aim is to perform well at the 14th Fina World Championships in July.

"I'm looking forward to a good year and hope to perfect my score for a spot in the Olympics."

Meanwhile, Mailsport's sportswriter Haresh Deol was nominated for two awards — for best print story and best commentary.

LIST OF WINNERS


Best Athlete: Pandelela Rinong (Diving); Most Promising Athlete: Yeap Wai Kin (Wushu); Special Award from National Sports Association: Datuk Lee Chong Wei; Outdo Yourself Award: National football team (Asean Cup champions); Best Report (Print): Wan Mohd Fakhrul Anwar (Kosmo!); Best Report (Electronic): Ku Mohd Lufti Ku Yahya (RTM); Best Commentary (Print): Rajes Paul (The Star); Best Commentary (Eletronic): Rozihan Mohd Raji (RTM); Best Photographer: Mazlan Samion (Bernama); Best Special Report: Mohd Zulhelmi Zainal Azam (Astro Awani); Best Reporter: Mohd Zulhelmi Zainal Azam (Astro Awani)

Sportcheck / 100PLUS-SAM Awards: Pandelela Surprise Winner

Pandelela Rinong with her trophy and cheque after she was adjudged the Best Athlete at the 2010 100PLUS-SAM Awards yesterday. — Picture by Intan Nur Elliana Intan Elliana.

NATIONAL diver Pandelela Rinong received a belated birthday present when she was voted Best Athlete at the 2010 100PLUS-SAM Awards in Kuala Lumpur yesterday.

The Sarawakian, who turned 18 on Wednesday, is the first diver to win the prestigious award which comes with a cash prize of RM10,000 and a trophy.

Lee Chong Wei, the badminton World No 1, was among those beaten by Pandelela to the top award but he did not go home empty-handed as he took the Special Award.

The national football team, victorious at the recent AFF Suzuki Cup, were also honoured after being presented with the Outdo Yourself Award while wushu exponent Yeap Wai Kin was anointed as the most promising athlete.

Pandelela made history by clinching Malaysia's first ever diving gold medal at the Commonwealth Games in New Delhi last year when she defeated Olympic medal winners from Australia and Britain to win the 10m platform event.

She also won the silver medal with Leong Mun Yee in the synchronised 10m platform final.

Pandelela was the toast of the nation when she bagged two silver medals in the individual 3m springboard and 10m platform disciplines at the Youth Olympic Games in Singapore in July last year.

Her two silver medals made her the first Malaysian female to mount the podium at a multi-Games meet organised by the International Olympic Council.

She also marked her Asian Games debut with one silver in the synchronised 10m platform and one bronze medal in the individual discipline.

A stunned Pandelela said: "I can't believe it. I honestly didn't expect to win the award

as I was up against some great champions.

"This is a big honour for me and I hope to build on this success. My main goal is to do well at the World Championships in Shanghai in July as it is an Olympic qualifying event.

"The finalists (top 12) will earn a place in the London Olympics next year and that is my initial goal apart from trying to get a medal," said Pandelela.

Besides Chong Wei, Pandelela beat out five-time world squash champion Nicol David, cyclist Azizul Hasni Awang and shooter Nur Suryani to emerge as the best athlete.

WINNERS -- Best Athlete: Pandelela Rinong (diving); Most Promising Athlete: Yeap Wai Kin (wushu); Special Award from National Sports Association: Lee Chong Wei (badminton); Outdo Yourself Award: National football team (AFF Cup champions).



Read more: Sportcheck / 100PLUS-SAM Awards: Pandelela surprise winner http://www.nst.com.my/nst/articles/o_de_ld-2/Article#ixzz1FvJiMeWK

Diver Pandelela An Unexpected But Deserving Winner Of SAM Award

PETALING JAYA: It was a pleasant surprise for diver Pandelela Rinong as she was named the winner of the 100Plus Sportswriters Association of Malaysia (SAM) Athlete of the Year award yesterday.

Pandelela rode on her breakthrough achievements on the international stage last year to pip five-time world squash champion Nicol David, world No. 1 shuttler Lee Chong Wei and two-time world cycling championship silver medallist Azizulhasni Awang to become the first diver to clinch the award.

Also nominated for the award was New Delhi Commonwealth Games shooting gold medallist Nur Suryani.


Diver Pandelela Rinong is all smiles after being named the winner of the 100Plus Sportswriters Association of Malaysia (SAM) Athlete of the Year award Sunday. She beat shuttler Lee Chong Wei, cyclist Azizulhasni Awang, squash star Nicol David and shooter Nur Suryani to the RM10,000 prize money and a trophy.

Instead of a panel deciding as in previous years, the selection was made based on the number of votes and although unexpected, Pandelela was a deserving winner.

Pandelela made history by clinching the first-ever diving gold medal for Malaysia at the Commonwealth Games last October.

She defeated Olympic medal winners from Australia and Britain to win the women’s 10m platform event.

Pandelela also won a silver medal with Leong Mun Yee in the synchronised 10m platform final.

She was also the toast of the nation when she bagged two silver medals in the individual 3m springboard and 10m platform disciplines at the Youth Olympic Games in Singapore last July.

The two silver medals made her the first Malaysian female to go on the podium at a multi-Games meet organised by the International Olympic Council.Pandelela also marked her debut in the Asian Games in Guangzhou last November with one silver in the synchronised 10m platform and one bronze medal in the individual discipline.

Pandelela, who took home RM10,000 and a trophy, expressed surprise over winning the award.

“Are you sure?” asked the Sarawakian, who turned 18 last Wednesday. “I can’t believe that I’m the winner as I was competing against big names like Chong Wei and Nicol, who were always in the news last year. I’m really honoured to receive this award.”

It is not just a perfect belated birthday gift for her but also a perfect tonic for her to aim to scale greater heights in her major assignments this year.

“My main goal is to do well at the world championships in Shanghai in July as it is an Olympic qualifying event,” she said.

“The finalists (top 12) will earn a place in the London Olympics next year and that is my initial goal apart from trying to get a medal.”

Meanwhile, national junior wushu exponent Yeap Wai Kin won the best young athlete award and RM3,000 in prize money.

Wai Kin won a double in the changquan and jianshu, which turned out to be the only gold medals won by Malaysia at the world junior championships in Singapore last December.

The national football team, who won the Asean football tournament for the first time last December, won a special “Outdo Yourself” award. The award comes with a year’s free supply of 100Plus.