“IT’S just not my day.”
Diving queen Pandelela Rinong has come to terms with one of her worst performances to date in her pet event, the women’s 10m platform.
Pandelela, who scored low marks in her last two dives, not just missed out on the podium but ended 11th out of 12 finalists at the Sandwell Aquatic Centre on Thursday.
It was her lowest placing in the event since her golden debut in the 2010 Commonwealth Games in New Delhi.
Four years later in Glasgow, she won silver but in the last Games in Gold Coast, Pandelela returned home empty-handed when she finished fourth.
The 29-year-old came to Birmingham as the bronze medallist from the recent World Championships in Budapest but she struggled to find her rhythm throughout the preliminaries and then in the final held three hours later.
She was still in with a fighting chance for the bronze after the third dive but it all went south after that.
Pandelela over rotated, earning 33.60 and 44.80 for her fourth and fifth jumps and finished with 260.90 points.
“It’s just not my day. I didn’t perform well from the third dive and I felt so tired. From the preliminary to the final the start time was close, not enough to rest and prepare.
“But it’s okay. What has happened has happened. I want to focus on my remaining events, especially the 10m platform synchro (tonight) with Nur Dhabitah Sabri.
“I will focus on improving my techniques and do better,” said the Sarawakian.
Pandelela-Dhabitah splashed to a bronze medal at the world meet in Budapest.
Asked if she was affected by any injuries, Pandelela said she had been dealing with some pain in her hip.
“It affected me a bit but mostly, it’s just not my day. The others were better,” added Pandelela, who qualified for the final in seventh position with 283.50 points.
England completed a 1-2 when Andrea Spendolini Sirieix pulled off a golden final dive, earning 86.40 to finish with 357.50 points. Lois Mae Toulson came in second with 337.30 points while Canada’s Caeli McKay claimed bronze (317.50).
