In the good old days: Pandelela Rinong and Chew Yiwei (right) during one of their national team assignments.
PETALING JAYA: National diver Pandelela Rinong will cherish her memories with springboard specialist Chew Yiwei for the rest of her life.
Pandelela posted a heartfelt retirement message to Yiwei, who announced his decision to quit the national diving team on Tuesday.
Yiwei, who is currently in the final year of his Computer Science course, has decided to retire to focus on his studies.
Pandelela understands Yiwei’s decision and sends her best wishes.
“Still can’t believe you quit on us, bruhhh!” posted Pandelela on social media.
“Then again, you can’t have the best of both worlds.
“I wish you the highest GPA (grade point average) for your degree and I truly hope that you’ll make another comeback and slay like how you did after your SPM (Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia).
“Find the fire back in you!
“Will always remember how you united the team together when some people did us dirty and you proved them wrong by winning the Asian Games 2018 3m (springboard) bronze.”
Pandelela then went on to post photos of the two of them at the airport as well as a video of them during their training sessions in Bukit Jalil.
The 27-year-old Yiwei has been involved in the sport for the last 13 years and he was the only Malaysian male diver who finished on the podium at the last Asian Games in Indonesia in 2018, where he won bronze in the men’s 3m springboard individual.
Yiwei expressed his gratitude to his idol Pandelela.
Despite not being actively involved in the sport anymore, it will not stop Yiwei from being present to support Pandelela in the upcoming tournaments.
“Thank you, Lela. You have been my idol, strong spirited like a dolphin,” commented Yiwei on Pandelela’s social media post.
“I learned a lot from your undertakings.
“Honoured to have the trust of the entire team in me to achieve goodness.
“I wish you peace in many moons and the comeback that you are fighting for.
“Next time, it will be me on the spectator’s seat with pom poms.”
