Pandelela Rinong Pamg
Events: Diving (3-meter springboard synchronized, 10-meter platform synchronized and 10-meter platform individual)
Born: March 2, 1993
Career
Pandelela Rinong hails from the east Malaysian state of Sarawak. When
Ms. Pandelela was eight years old and in elementary school, her state’s
diving coach visited several elementary schools to select students who
were suitable for aquatic sports – and Ms. Pandelela was among those
chosen.
She learned basic swimming for several months before she started to
dive at the age of nine. Five years later, in 2007, she made the cut
for the national diving team at the young age of 14.
Ms. Pandelela’s first international event was the FINA Diving World
Cup in Beijing in February 2008, where she finished sixth out of a field
of 24 in the 10-meter platform event. That earned her a place in the
2008 summer Olympics, though she did not win a medal.
Ms. Pandelela’s career got another boost, though, at world
championships in Rome in 2009 when she partnered with ten-year veteran
Leong Mun Yee to win the bronze medal in the 10-meter platform
(synchronized) event. In August 2010, at the Youth Olympics in
Singapore, Ms. Pandelela won two silver medals in the 3-meter
springboard and 10-meter platform events.
Two months later, at the Commonwealth Games in New Delhi, Ms.
Pandelela won the gold medal in the 10-meter platform competition,
edging out leading Australian diver Melissa Wu. Her achievement was the
first time a Malaysian athlete won a gold medal in diving.
“That was my personal best,” Ms. Pandelela said in an email from China, where her diving team is training.
Ms. Pandelela clinched a place in the coming Olympics when she
finished fourth in the 10-meter platform event at the World Aquatic
Championships in Shanghai last July – a result that came on top of
several medals she won at events last year. All this achievement
earned her the country’s sportswoman award in April, beating favorites
like squash world number one Nicole David, who is Malaysian.
Early this month, Ms. Pandelela was chosen as the country’s flag
bearer at the London opening ceremonies – the first time Malaysia has chosen a woman to carry its flag at the Olympic ceremonies.
Just 19 years old, Ms. Pandelela is studying sports science at Bukit
Jalil Sports School, though she has postponed her studies for two years
to focus on competing.
“I had to postpone my studies because of the Olympics,” she said.
“Still, I do try and study at nights, after training, to catch up with
what I have missed.” Ms. Pandelela is also a big fan of Korean pop
music and drama.
Her favorite group is Big Bang, a Korean boy band.
Any athlete bringing home a gold medal will get a big reward in
Malaysia since the government, in its efforts to encourage its athletes,
is offering cash rewards. A gold medalist will get RM1 million
(US$316,000), while silver winners get RM300,000 (US$95,000) and bronze
winners take home RM100,000 (US$32,000). In addition, winners will also
be given life-long pensions ranging from RM2,000 to RM5,000 (US$630 to
US$1,580) a month.
Memorable quote
“I will tell myself not to think negative thoughts.”
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