Pandelela eyes consistency ahead of 2025 World Aquatics Championships
Pandelela in action during the National Diving Selection Trial at the National Aquatic Centre in Bukit Jalil today. – Bernama photo
KUALA LUMPUR (May 11): National diving veteran Datuk Pandelela Rinong has emphasised the need to strengthen both physical and mental aspects to achieve greater consistency ahead of the 2025 World Aquatics Championships in Singapore this July.
The 32-year-old athlete acknowledged the importance of maintaining optimum performance, particularly during the preparation period leading up to the prestigious tournament.
'There are a few things I need to improve – my physical and mental levels. I need to be more consistent,' she said when met after the medal presentation ceremony of the National Diving Selection Trial at the National Aquatic Centre in Bukit Jalil today.
Pandelela's best result at the World Aquatics Championships was winning the silver medal in the women's 10m synchronised platform event alongside former diver Datuk Leong Mun Yee at the 2019 edition in Gwangju, South Korea.
In today's action, Pandelela lived up to expectations by clinching gold in the women's 10-metre platform event after amassing 270.20 points, ahead of backup diver Nur Eilisha Rania Muhammad Abrar Raj in second place (249.65 points) and Podium athlete Lee Yiat Qing in third (242.85 points).
It was the first time Pandelela failed to surpass the minimum qualifying score (MQS) of 290 points set by the Malaysian Swimming Federation for senior divers, having cleared the mark twice previously.
'I already passed the MQS twice, so I've qualified for the World Championships. But I still wanted to compete today, so that training doesn't get too boring.
'The junior athletes have improved a lot – give them a year or two, and they'll be able to compete with me,' added the 2016 Rio Olympic silver medallist in the women's 10m synchronised platform.
Pandelela also shared that she competed injury-free today, which puts her in a good position to prepare for the World Aquatics Championships, scheduled to be held from July 11 to Aug 3.
Meanwhile, a surprise occurred in the men's 10m platform event as backup diver Elvis Priestly Clement claimed gold with a total of 375.50 points.
The 18-year-old outperformed fellow backup diver Muhammad Anilrian Normatrud, who took silver with 350.50 points, while senior diver Bertrand Rhodict Lises had to settle for bronze with 350.40 points.
MQS serves as the primary benchmark for determining which divers qualify to represent Malaysia in international tournaments, where each diver must surpass the required minimum score. – Bernama diving pandelela rinong sports World Aquatics Championships
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Star
an hour ago
- The Star
Swimming-Relief for McKeown after DQ scare at Australian trials
FILE PHOTO: Paris 2024 Olympics - Swimming - Women's 200m Backstroke Victory Ceremony - Paris La Defense Arena, Nanterre, France - August 02, 2024. Gold medallist Kaylee McKeown of Australia with her medal after setting a new Olympic record REUTERS/Marko Djurica/File Photo (Reuters) -Five-times Olympic gold medallist Kaylee McKeown was cleared to compete in the 50m backstroke final at the Australian trials on Monday after she successfully appealed her disqualification in the heats. The 23-year-old world record holder finished first in her heat but her time was not displayed on the board and she was ushered away in tears by officials after being called for an early start. However, McKeown's team lodged an appeal and after an anxious wait she was given the green light to compete in the final, which closes out the opening day of the trials in Adelaide. The trials serve as Australia's qualifiers for the July 11-August 3 world championships in Singapore. "(McKeown) was disqualified after being ruled to initiate an early start from lane four of heat one but her protest was upheld after officials ruled in her favour that she was distracted by a movement immediately prior to the signal," Swimming Australia said. "Her time of 27.27 made her the fastest qualifier tonight with good mate Mollie O'Callaghan second fastest with 27.72 – both under qualifying time for Singapore World Championships." McKeown became the first woman to retain the 100 and 200 backstroke Olympic titles at last year's Paris Games. (Reporting by Aadi Nair in Bengaluru; Editing by Peter Rutherford)
New Straits Times
3 hours ago
- New Straits Times
McIntosh impresses in 800m free win at Canada trials
MONTREAL: Summer McIntosh stormed to victory in the women's 800m freestyle at the Canadian Swimming Trials yesterday, firing another warning shot to Katie Ledecky after narrowly missing out on breaking the American's world record. A day after obliterating the 400m freestyle world record, McIntosh touched in 8min 5.07sec in yesterday's 800m, putting her just outside US great Ledecky's world best of 8:04.12 set only last month. "Going into tonight, I really wanted to see how close I could get to that world record," the three-time Olympic gold medallist said after her win at the trials in Victoria, British Columbia. "But overall, pretty happy with my race and my splits. I think I was a little bit in no man's land. So I'm happy excited for just moving forward and seeing how I can be pushed when I get some close quarter racing." McIntosh won gold in the 200m butterfly, 200m medley and 400m medley at the Paris Olympics and has indicated she'll chase five titles at the World Championships in Singapore next month. On Saturday, she shattered the 400m free world record with a time of 3:54.18, slicing more than a second of the record set in 2023 by Australian Ariarne Titmus, who is taking the 2025 season off. The blistering form of McIntosh and Ledecky sets the stage for a titantic duel at the world championships and the Canadian admitted she was relishing the prospect. "Any time I get to race Katie, it's an honor," McIntosh said yesterday. "I always have to bring my best to be able to challenge her. "So I'm really excited for our match-ups at the worlds. This is my starting point now and I just try to keep pushing forward."
The Sun
8 hours ago
- The Sun
Rexy hails Pearly-Thinaah's 'awesome' performance
NATIONAL doubles coaching director Rexy Mainaky needed just one word to describe the performance of top women's doubles pair Pearly Tan and M. Thinaah in the Indonesia Open 2025 final in Jakarta yesterday — 'awesome.' Despite narrowly missing out on the top podium, Rexy expressed satisfaction with the world No. 4 duo's performance, noting their composure and focus against the world No. 1 pair from China, Liu Sheng Shu and Tan Ning, at the iconic Istora Senayan. Pearly and Thinaah pushed the top seeds to the limit in a gripping one-hour and 29-minute battle, ultimately falling 25-23, 12-21, 19-21. 'The only thing that I can say is that their performance was awesome,' he told Bernama. As runners-up, Pearly-Thinaah took home USD50,750 (about RM215,000) while the champions Sheng Shu-Tan Ning pocketed USD107,300 (approximately RM454,000). Although yesterday's result extended Sheng Shu and Tan Ning's lead in the rivalry to 8-3, Pearly and Thinaah's latest performance indicates the gap is narrowing. Meanwhile, the Indonesian doubles expert also expressed satisfaction with the strong overall showing from other national doubles representatives at the Super 1000 tournament. 'All our doubles players played really well in the Indonesia Open,' he said. Of the seven other national doubles pairs competing at the Indonesia Open, two reached the semi-finals: men's doubles duo Man Wei Chong and Tee Kai Wun, and mixed doubles pair Chen Tang Jie and Toh Ee Wei. Last Saturday, Wei Chong and Kai Wun narrowly lost to the home favourites Sabar Karyaman and Moh Reza Isfahani, 18-21, 21-12, 18-21, while Tang Jie and Ee Wei were edged out by Thailand's Dechapol Puavaranukroh and Supissara Paewsampran, 23-21, 15-21, 11-21.
