PANDELELA Rinong Pamg (pic) – Olympic gold medallist.
Wishful thinking, I know, but why not? Pandelela and the evergreen Datuk Lee Chong Wei are probably Malaysia’s best hopes of getting that gold medal that has eluded us ever since we first started competing in the Olympics.
Both head out to Rio tomorrow with the hopes of a nation resting squarely on their shoulders. To be fair, Chong Wei has come agonisingly close, falling at the final hurdle in the last two Olympics badminton singles against his arch nemesis Lin Dan and ending up with silver. But at 33 years of age, this is surely his last shot at glory.
Pandelela, on the other hand, is at her peak as a diver at 23 years of age. Coming into the games, which start on Aug 5, the Sarawakian is now acknowledged as among the top three divers in the world.
This is her third Olympics; she finished 27th in her maiden games in Beijing, got the bronze four years later in London and is certainly aiming for the top spot in Rio.
“My target has to be gold this time around,” she told me over a cup of masala tea near her training camp at Bukit Jalil.
Having just returned from an intensive training stint in Guangzhou, the Sportswoman of the Year is understandably tired, yet there’s an unmistakable confidence in her attitude.
“I feel like I’m in peak condition heading into Rio. The competition is going to be stiff, especially from the Chinese and North Koreans, but I am confident that I can perform,” she said, adding that most of the diving competitors have been on the circuit for the last five years.
“All the divers know each other. We’ve been competing together for five years and there’s a healthy respect among all of us,” she said.
In the latest FINA diving ranking for woman’s platform, she ranks third behind two Chinese divers. The 10m individual platform is her pet event, but she will also take part in the 10m platform synchronised with teammate Cheong Jun Hoong.
Pandelela and the rest of the 32-strong Malaysian contingent will head out to probably the most controversial Olympics of all time. The Rio Olympics has been plagued by one problem after another and for a time there was even a possibility that it could be called off.
A few days ago, the Australian delegation refused to move into the games village due to a series of concerns, including gas and water leaks, flooded floors, broken elevators and holes in the ceiling. Amazingly, just one week before the games begin, 19 of the 31 games village buildings have yet to pass safety tests.
Add to this the fear of the deadly Zika virus, contaminated waters at Guanabara Bay (a venue for outdoor aquatics), kidnapping fears (Rio has the highest kidnapping and hijacking figures in South America) and worries about security (some 85,000 police and troops will be deployed), and you have a veritable tsunami of problems plaguing the organisers.
These issues will no doubt play in the minds of the Malaysian athletes, but if any further incentive is needed other than glory for themselves and their country, monetary reward would be ample motivation.
The winner of the Olympics gold medal will be rewarded RM1mil and will receive a permanent RM5,000 monthly pension, and winners of silver and bronze medals are to receive RM3,000 and RM2,000 in monthly pensions respectively.
These cash rewards are a huge incentive for someone like Pandelela who comes from humble beginnings. Born in a small town called Bau in Sarawak, she grew up in a devout Catholic family with three siblings – an older brother and two younger sisters. Their father, a contractor, and their mother, a housewife, brought them up in a modest but loving home environment.
Pandelela was an adventurous and thrill-seeking child, whose ambition was to be an air stewardess so she could travel the world and explore new places.
The family moved to Kuching and it was there on a fateful day that a diving coach visited the primary school looking for suitable students for aquatic sports. Pandelela was among the selected ones; she was eight then.
Being the daredevil, she caught the attention of the coach when she bravely jumped from a 5m platform. The coach asked if she would like to take up diving and she quickly agreed.
The Sarawakian was a natural at diving. With the support and encouragement from her family and coach, she took up the sport seriously and the rest is history.
As a national athlete, Pandelela trains eight hours a day, six days a week. Training starts in the early hours of the morning till 12.30pm, followed by another four hours from 3pm to 7pm.
Besides training and competing, the petite girl is also doing her degree in Sports Science at Universiti Malaya. Despite her rigorous schedule, Pandelela finds time to indulge in her favourite pastime – K-Pop! She relaxes by tuning in to the latest songs and news on her favourite Korean band, Big Bang, and travelling gives her the opportunity to stock up on her collection of her favourite anime character, Totoro.
For her third Olympics, Pandelela told me that she had splurged on paying for her parents and older brother to come along.
“They have been so supportive of me and I want them to be at the Aquatics Centre when the competition starts.”
I’m sure all Malaysians will join her family in praying and hoping that this Bidayuh lass will do her country proud.
The writer believes that it will be the ultimate feel-good story if a small-town girl from Sarawak goes on to conquer the diving world in the Rio Olympics. In her own words, “As long as you never give up on yourself and continue to have faith in God, nothing is impossible.”
Already a subscriber? Log in
Get 20% OFF The Star Digital Access
Cancel anytime. Ad-free. Unlimited access with perks.
