Pandelela Keeps Her Crown

Diving diva: Pandelela with her trophy

SIBU: It was a glorious night for national diver Pandelela Rinong Pamg when she was named the 2011-2012 Sportswoman at the biennial Sarawak State Sports Council (MSNS) Sports Awards here.

Currently undergoing intensive training for the SEA Games in Myanmar next month,

Pandelela rushed here to attend the event on Saturday night and accept the RM5,000 cash prize and trophy from the state Assistant Sports Minister Datuk Lee Kim Shin.

It was the second consecutive time that the 20-year-old Bidayuh received the recognition, the last in 2009-2010.

Based on her bronze feat in the women’s 10m platform event at last year’s Olympics in London and another for the 10m synchronized platform at World Championships in Barcelona, it was no surprise that Pandelela emerged prominently above the other nominees — Morren Ulai Lian from taekwondo, Stephanie Law Feng Nie (volleyball) and Jacqueline Jenelee Sijone (tenpin bowling) — in claiming the Sportswoman crown.

Honoured: Bryan receiving his award from Lee (left) as outgoing MSNS director Francis Nyurang Ding (right) looks on. — ZULAZHAR SHEBLEE / The Star

“It (the award) means everything to me in my diving career because with it, I will do harder and my best in every competition,” an elated Pandelela told The Star after the ceremony.

The Bau native said she was happy that the state had acknowledged her achievement in the sport.

“As for the coming SEA Games, my ultimate aim is to win gold in 10m platform. However I will not be too overconfident and underestimating other divers,” she added.

Meanwhile the 2011-2012 Sportsman award went to fellow national diver Bryan Nickson Lomas, who became the country’s first — and so far, the only — World Junior champion in 2004 for winning gold in the men’s 3m springboard event in Belem, Brazil.

The 22-year-old bagged bronze in last year’s FINA World Championships in London for the 3m synchronized platform, partnering Huang Qiang.

Both have since retired from competition, with Bryan citing his wish to focus on completing his Sports Science course at Universiti Malaya as the reason for his departure from the sport.

Pandelela Rinong Crowned Sarawak Sportswoman Of The Year, Again

SIBU: National diver Pandelela Rinong anak Pamg was once again crowned Sarawak's Sportwoman of the Year at the state's Sports Award ceremony for 2011/2012 here late Saturday.

Pandela, who first won the award in 2010, was the first Malaysian woman athlete to win a bronze medal in the 10-metre diving event at the 2012 London Olympics.

The awards were presented by State Assistant Communications and State Assistant Sports Minister Datuk Lee Kim Shin who represented Chief Minister Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud.

National men's diver, Bryan Nickson Lomas, who also produced several excellent performances, was named Sarawak 2011/2012 Sportsman of the Year. Both received a cash prize of RM5,000, trophy and a certificate each.

The list of award winners is as follows:

Sportsman : Bryan Nickson Lomas

Sportswoman : Pandelela Rinong anak Pamg

Paralympic Sportsman : Jamery Siga

Paralympic Sportswoman : Nabilah Ahmad Sherif

Most Promising Sportsman : Mohammad Arif Zulhimi Alet

Most Promising Sportswoman : Angela Chieng

Best Sports Coach : Ling Neng Thung

Best Paralympic Sports Coach : Awang Ismail Zamia Awang Nusi

Best Sports Leadership : Moh Wung Ming

Best Sports Team (Men) : Sarawak Squash Squad

Best Sports Team (Women) : Sarawak Volleyball Squad

Best Sports Association : Sarawak Tenpin Bowling Association

Best Sports Writer (Bahasa Malaysia) : Harry Elias (Utusan Borneo)

Best Sports Writer (English) : Robert Kenneth (The Star)

Best Sports Writer (Chinese) : Teo Chi Wei (See Hua Daily News)

Sarawak Sports Personality : Bala Ditta
-Bernama

Pandelela Has Faith In Backup Divers

Diver Pandelela Rinong and badminton player Jagdish Singh Dhanda Kuldip Singh share a light moment after receiving their awards for Universiti Malaya Sportswoman and Sportsman of the Year on Nov 19, 2013. – Bernama Photo

KUALA LUMPUR: Diver Pandelela Rinong is optimistic that divers from the backup squad can win gold medals at the Myanmar SEA Games next month.

The 2012 London Olympics bronze medallist said the backup divers are capable of rising to the occasion and expressed confidence that they would not return home empty-handed.

“I hope the divers given the opportunity to represent the country at the SEA Games will not waste the chance. They must use the opportunity to gain experience to improve their skills in the future,” she told reporters after being crowned Universiti Malaya Sportswoman of the Year, on Tuesday night.

Pandelela, who is pursuing a degree in Sports Science at Universiti Malaya, will be competing in the 10m platform individual event in Myanmar.

The Sarawakian said she would need to be at her very best from this year onwards to excel at next year’s Asian Games in Incheon, South Korea, and the Glasgow Commonwealth Games in Scotland.

Apart from Pandelela, the other women divers going to Myanmar are Leong Mun Yee, Cheong Jun Hoong, Wendy Ng Yee, Nur Dhabitah Sabri, Loh Zhiayi. Competing in the men’s events are Ooi Tze Liang, Muhd Amsyar Azman, Chew Yi Wei, Danial Sabri and Muhd Nazreen Abdullah. – Bernama

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.

Chong Wei And Pandelela Retain National Sports Awards

National shuttler Lee Chong Wei and diving queen Pandelela Rinong posing with the Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Abdul Halim Mu’adzam Shah after they were named 2012 Sportsman and Sportswoman of the Year at the National Sports Award ceremony Tuesday night. The duo also won the award last year.

PETALING JAYA: Shuttler Lee Chong Wei and diver Pandelela Rinong have set their sights on becoming world champions after coming up tops again in the 2012 National Sports Awards ceremony last night.

Chong Wei bagged his fourth National Sportsman Award and RM20,000 thanks largely to his feat of reaching the men’s singles final at the London Olympic last year.

Chong Wei may have lost narrowly to Lin Dan but still returned home with a silver, ensuring that he is the country’s only double Olympic medallist.

Chong Wei, who also won the national sports award in 2005 and 2008, captured five international titles last year.

And now, after getting a fourth national crown, the shuttler hopes it will spur him to become the first Malaysian to win at the world meet in Guangzhou come August.

“This will be my last chance to win the world title. No Malaysian has managed it and I will give it my best shot,” said Chong Wei, who became a father for the first time last week.

In the women’s category, squash queen Nicol David – who captured a record seventh world title last year – failed to dethrone Pandelela from reigning supreme again.

Proud moment: Hasihin Sanawi (left) receiving the award for best male paralympian by the president of the Olympic Council of Malaysia Tan Sri Tunku Imran Tuanku Ja’afar during the National Sports Award ceremony yesterday. — IZZRAFIQ ALIAS / The Star

Like Chong Wei, the dimunitive Sarawakian captured the nation’s heart at the London Olympics in the early hours of Aug 10 with her historic plunge in the women’s 10m platform final.

She made an impressive comeback with her last two dives to secure the bronze medal – making her the country’s first female Olympic medallist – and the youngest.

Pandelela, who turned 20 last month, also finished overall runner-up in the prestigious FINA Diving World Series last year behind world and Olympic champion Chen Ruolin of China.

Pandelela was delighted to have won a second straight National Sportswoman Award and a cheque for RM20,000.

She said she had “a gut feeling” that she would win again after being asked by the Amateur Swimming Union of Malaysia (Asum) to delay flying to Edinburgh for the third leg of the FINA Diving World Series by a day.

“My team-mates left the previous night but I was asked to stay back. But at least I don’t have to travel a few thousand kilometres like last year,” she said in jest, referring to last year when she had to fly back immediately from Russia after the FINA Diving World Series to receive the award – and then heading out to Mexico the next day.

“It’s a timely boost ahead of Edinburgh, for sure,” added Pandelela, who is hoping to become the first Malaysian to win an individual medal at the world meet in Barcelona in July.

“I see this as a lucky sign. When I got the award last year, I won an Olympic bronze medal ... so, hopefully, it’ll be another good year for me at the world meet.”

Pandelela already has a bronze medal from her partnership with Leong Mun Yee in 10m platform synchro at the 2009 world meet in Rome.

The men’s junior hockey team took the best male team award and RM20,000 for winning their maiden Junior Asia Cup in Malacca in May after beating three-time champions Pakistan 2-1 in the final.

There was some consolation for Nicol though when she, Delia Arnold, Low Wee Wern and Siti Munirah Jusoh clinched the best female team award and RM20,000 for winning the bronze medal at the Women’s World Team Championships in Nimes, France, last November.

Meanwhile, archer Hasihin Sanawi took home the male paralympian award and a cheque for RM10,000 for his silver medal feat in individual recurve at the London Paralympic Games.

2012 National Sports Awards Roll of Honour

Sportman: Lee Chong Wei (badminton)

Sportswoman: Pandelela Rinong (diving)

Best male national team: Junior hockey team (Amir Farid Ahmad Fuzi, Dedy Ariyadi Jumaidi, Faiz Helmi Jali, Faizal Shaari, Kavin Kartik Govindasamy, Mohd Azri Hassan, Mohd Syamim Mohd Yusof, Mohd izat Hakimi Jamaluddin, Mohd Fitri Saari, Mohd Hazrul Faiz, Muhd Ramadhan Rosli, Muhd Aslam Mohd Hanafiah, Muhd Firhan Ashari, Muhd Noor Faeez Ibrahim, Norhizzat Sumantri, Shahrul Azaddin, Shazril Irwan Nazli, Shazrul Imran Nazli)

Best female national team: Squash (Nicol David, Low Wee Wern, Delia Arnold, Siti Munirah Jusoh.

Male paralympian: Hasihin Sanawi (archery)

Female paralympian: None

Male national coach: Rashid Sidek (badminton)

Female national coach: None

Sports leadership: Datuk Seri Paul Mony Samuel (football) and Datuk Abu Samah Wahab (cycling)

Sports figure: Tan Sri Datuk Elyas Omar

Special award: Ng Chow Seng (weightlifting) and Zulfahmi Khairuddin (motorsports)