Paying tribute to our diving queen, Pandelela Pamg Rinong

The 2020 Tokyo Olympics may be over but we are still proud with the huge achievement of our national diving queen, Pandelela Pamg Rinong who had reached the final of the women’s 10m plat­form despite the stiff competition from other upcoming divers. 

I have mentioned this to our media friends last Saturday and we can see (Pandelela) from the preliminary rounds, and then to the (semi­finals) and then made it through to the finals - that is a very big achievement. As a Sarawakian and as Malaysians, we are very proud of her achieve­ment.

I am also so happy to see that despite losing in Tokyo, she is still in high spirit and wanting to go for the next Olympic at Paris in 2024. That is the kind of spirit that we want – that kind of ‘agi idup agi ngelaban’ spirit. The next Olympic will take place in three years’ time and I believe that Pan­delela will continue to compete and represent the nation in other events.

With her current form, she is expected to take part in the post­poned 2021 Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in Hanoi and the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham. At the age of 28, Pandelela has al­ready competed in four Olympic Games in her international career that has spanned over a decade, winning two medals – a bronze in the individual at the 2012 London and a silver in the synchronised four years later in Rio, Brazil.

For me, age is not that important. We should not look at Pandelela’s current age at 28 and consider her fighting spirit. You must have that spirit, such as Uzbekistan’s ageless wonder, Oksana Chusovitina who at 46 had competed in her eighth Olympic in Tokyo.

I was surprised to see her (competing) with other gymnasts who are only 15-16 years old. Although she did not make it to the preliminary rounds, but with her spirit she successfully represented her country in eight Olympic Games. We will always be supportive, as far as Pan­delela is concerned. She has her university degree and she already got a mark on her name. I think on her career, we do not have to worry – any state or nation would love to take her in as a (diving) coach.