NO BIRTHDAY JOY FOR PANDELELA

Two-time Olympic medallist fails to get into individual platform final

PANDELELA Rinong may not have had a perfect birthday gift in the opening leg of the Diving World Series in Japan, but she believes things will get better for her soon. The two-time Olympic medallist, who turned 26 yesterday, was hoping for an encouraging result in yesterday’s 10m platform individual after finishing out of the podium at fourth with Nur Dhabitah Sabri in Friday’s platform synchro event.

However, Pandelela failed to reach the final by finishing fourth in her semi-final by posting a five-dive 349.85 total.

The Sarawak-born, who has been struggling with injuries in recent seasons, said: “(This is the) first time I am competing on my birthday. After many years, this is also the first time I (am) competing without any Kinesio tape on my body.

“(Being) pain free is what I had wished for my birthday this year. Hope to keep up the momentum and progress in the next leg (in Beijing on March 7-9),” Pandelela posted on her Instagram yesterday.

China’s Zhang Jiaqi (393.30) and Ren Qian (371.40) won the gold and bronze, while Canada’s Meaghan Benfeito (385.10) finished second in the platform individual final.

In the mixed platform synchro, Hanis Jaya Surya-Leong Mun Yee- Hanis Jaya Surya finished fifth on 311.10.

Mun Yee and Syafiq Puteh will pair up for the springboard synchro today.