Pandelela eyes Paris a er Tokyo setback
I am not disheartened as this is not my final Olympics. I want to push on and qualify for the Paris edition.
Pandelela Rinong
TOKYO: National diver Pandelela Rinong is no qui er.
Despite her unsuccessful campaign at the Tokyo Olympics, the 28-year-old is eager for a return and has already set her sights on 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.
Although it was not her best performance in the 10m platform, both in the synchronised and individual, the diver showed a good fighting spirit throughout the competition.
Pandelela, who is making her fourth Olympic outing in Tokyo, said she would continue to work hard to improve her performance and qualify for the world’s biggest multi-sports Games in Paris in three years time.
“Yes, I will compete in the next Olympics. I am not disheartened as this is not my final Olympics. I want to push on and qualify for the Paris edition,” said the Sarawak-born athlete.
In yesterday’s final at the Tokyo Aquatics Centre, Pandelela paid the price for a poor opening dive to end up last among the 12 finalists.
A poorly executed first dive a forward 3½ somersaults - saw her score just 18.00 points.
However, she fought and regained her rhythm to bounce back with scores of 71.05 (second dive), 60.80 (third dive) and 52.80 (fourth dive) before ending her five-dive routine with a low 43.20 points for a total 245.85 points.
China’s Quan Hongchan, 14, and Chen Yuxi, 15, were in a league of their own to clinch gold and silver respectively with runaway scores of 466.20 and 425.40 points. Australian Melissa Wu (371.40) se led for bronze.
Many were surprised with Pandelela’s first dive yesterday.
“During my first dive, I didn’t expect that to happen… when I was doing the run-up to the dive, I slipped and that affected my momentum. Of course, I was shocked and tried to control my dive. But what to do? Whatever it is, I accept the decision (score),” she said.
Pandelela said she tried hard to catch up with the others in her subsequent dives but it was to no avail.
“A er the first dive, I was playing catch-up (in terms of points) with the other divers and it didn’t work out. I am really unlucky at the Olympics this time… it’s just not meant to be,” she said.
Although disappointed with her performance, Pandelela said she had learned and gained a lot of experience that would enable her to further improve herself.
The national diving camp will now return home empty-handed for the first time since the 2012 London Games.
Pandelela had bagged a bronze in the women’s 10m platform in London before teaming up with Cheong Jun Hoong for a silver in the synchronised at the 2016 Rio Games.
In Tokyo, Pandelela advanced to the semi-finals a er finishing 18th in the preliminary round with 284.90 points while Jun Hoong missed the top-18 cut a er finishing 26th with 251.80 points.
Five-time World Championships medallist Pandelela was the last medal hope for the Malaysian diving squad a er she and Leong Mun Yee finished last out of eight pairs in the women’s 10m platform synchronised and Nur Dhabitah Sabri finished fourth in the women’s 3m springboard event.
Pandelela is the first Malaysian woman to win an Olympic medal when she bagged the bronze at the 2012 London Games.
Diving, badminton and cycling are the sports projected to deliver medals for the Malaysian contingent at the Tokyo Olympics but, so far, only shu lers Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik have delivered - winning a bronze in the men’s doubles.
Meanwhile, golfer Kelly Tan was struggling with her game at the Kasumigaseki Country Club in Saitama yesterday.
The first, ninth and 16th holes at the golf course are proving to be a bane for Kelly.
Having bogeyed the three holes in the first round on Wednesday, the 26-year-old again faltered on the same holes in the second round yesterday as she shot a second-successive two-over 73 for a four-over 146 to be placed joint 49th with three others in the field of 60 golfers.
Kelly again bogeyed the first and ninth before carding a double bogey on the par-three 16th. She also dropped a shot on the fourth and 10th respectively.
However, she was able to recover with birdies on the sixth, 14th, 15th and 17th to steady the ship.
Nelly Korda of the United States fired an incredible nineunder 62 to wrest the lead from Madelene Sagstrom of Sweden for a two-day 13-under 129 total.
Korda has a four-stroke lead over India’s Aditi Ashok and Danes Nanna Koerstz Madsen and Emily Kristine Pedersen, who are all tied for second at nine-under 133.