Diving queen, Pandelela wins second bronze at Asian Games

BY: Patrick Beech

Malaysian diving queen Datuk Pandelela Rinong clinched a bronze medal in the women’s 10m platform at the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games. 

For Pandelela who is making her fourth appearance in the Asiad, it was also her second bronze at this year’s Asian Games after finishing third in the women’s 10m synchronised platform event with Nur Dhabitah Sabri. 

Pandelela finished third with 280.50 points at the Hangzhou Olympic Sports Centre Aquatic Sports Arena. 

Olympic champion Quan Hongchan secured the gold medal with 438.20 points while compatriot Chen Yuxi won silver with 435.65 points. 

A 2016 Olympic silver medallist, Pandelela also won a bronze in the 2014 Asian Games and a bronze and a silver at the 2010 Asian Games. 

“I am a little surprised because I tried a few times to win a medal from an individual event in the Asian Games but failed, especially at the 2014 Asian Games in Incheon, South Korea while I was not able to compete in the 2018 Asian Games hosted by Indonesia in Jakarta-Palembang,” said the 30-year-old Pandelela. 

She added that she was not feeling well in the morning and forced herself to swallow a Panadol while the National Sports Institute provided a massage to remain active for the final. 

“I was having flu after the 10m synchronised platform event with Nur Dhabitah. I must also thank Nur because after winning a bronze already, I was able to compete without much pressure,” she said.