The Star : It’s all systems go

BY LIM TEIK HUAT

PETALING JAYA: Divers Pan­delela Rinong and Cheong Jun Hoong have a chance to repeat their Rio Olympic performance at the World Aquatics Champion­ships starting in Budapest, Hungary, tomorrow.

Pandelela-Jun Hoong were given the nod by head coach Yang Zhuliang to compete in the women’s 10m platform synchro after their first training session at the Danube Arena yesterday.

This is the same event that the duo splashed to a historic silver in Rio de Janeiro last August and it also turned out to be the first medal for the Malaysian contingent.

Pandelela will also be competing in the women’s 10m platform individual as she seeks to defend the bronze medal she won at the previous world meet in Kazan, Russia, in 2015.

Jun Hoong and Wendy Ng Yan Yee will dive in the women’s 1m springboard individual.

There were doubts earlier about Pandelela’s participation after an old right shoulder injury flared up at the final leg of the Diving World Series in Windsor, Canada, in April.

Zhuliang is adopting a relaxed approach to their participation in this year’s world meet.

“It is still an important meet to us but I cannot put too much pressure on them as some divers are carrying injuries.

“It may affect our chances at the next Olympics if they do not take care of their bodies.

“Divers cannot be in top form year in, year out. If we win a medal, it will be a bonus,” said the Chinese coach, adding that seasoned campaigner Leong Mun Yee will now compete in the mixed team event.

The long-serving Mun Yee was earlier put on standby in case Pandelela was not able to partner Jun Hoong.

Wendy and Nur Dhabitah Sabri will also focus on the women’s 3m springboard individual and synchro events.

Malaysia have earned three podium finishes in the world meet so far.

Apart from Pandelela’s bronze in Russia 2015, Mun Yee-Pandelela also took the bronze twice in the women’s 10m platform synchro in Rome 2009 and Barcelona 2013.


Read more at http://www.thestar.com.my/sport/swimming/2017/07/13/its-all-systems-go-pandelelajun-hoong-get-green-light-to-compete-at-world-meet/#0jFYfdH7DE5pjQzJ.99

The Star : Dhabitah finally bags Diving World Series medal

BY LIM TEIK HUAT

Great work: Nur Dhabitah Sabri (right) posing with Pandelela Rinong after they won silver in the women’s 10m platform synchro at the Diving World Series final leg in Windsor, Canada.

PETALING JAYA: Welcome to the elite club. Nur Dhabitah Sabri bagged her first Diving World Series medal when she partnered Pandelela Rinong to bag silver in the women’s 10m platform synchro final of the final leg in Windsor, Canada.

Dhabitah-Pandelela were lying fifth with two dives remaining and trailing Britain’s Tonia Couch-Lois Toulson and Canadians Caeli-McKay-Meaghan Benfeito by almost eight points on Friday.

However, the Malaysians nailed their fourth dive to earn 70.08 to move from fifth to second as their British and Canadian rivals slipped with 58.56 and 57.60 respectively.

Dhabitah-Pandelela snatched the silver medal in the final dive after earning 69.12 for a total of 298.80 points.

The British pair settled for bronze with 298.62 points while the Canadians finished out of the medals with 293.82 points.

China’s Si Yajie-Ren Qian led from start to finish to take the gold with a massive 336.66 points.

It is the first medal for 17-year-old Dhabitah in the prestigious invitation-only series, which is for the top-eight ranked divers from the Rio Olympics last year.

Dhabitah teamed up with Pandelela after Cheong Jun Hoong failed to recover from a back injury sustained in the third leg of the series in Kazan, Russia last month.

Pandelela-Jun Hoong took a historic silver medal in the event in Rio.

In Kazan, Dhabitah-Pandelela finished fourth and Dhabitah became the fifth Malaysian diver – all women – to stand on the World Series podium.

Jun Hoong, Leong Mun Yee and Wendy Ng Yan Yee have also won medals in the past.

Amateur Swimming Union of Malaysia (Asum) secretary Mae Chen said it was a proud moment to see Dhabitah, the Rio Olympic finalist in the women’s 10m platform individual, on the podium.

“It’s a big breakthrough for her. This will surely boost her confidence knowing she can fight with the best on the world stage. We are proud of her,” said Mae.

Malaysia finished second overall at the conclusion of the four-leg series for the women’s 10m platform synchro with 87 points. China took top spot with 108 points while Canada are third (78).

Pandelela-Jun Hoong took silver in the opening leg in Beijing and were bronze medallists in Guangzhou the following week.


Read more at http://www.thestar.com.my/sport/other-sport/2017/04/23/elite-company-dhabitah-finally-bags-diving-world-series-medal/#LBmxyJr1C0GzeabP.99

The Star : Good show, Dhabitah

BY LIM TEIK HUAT

PETALING JAYA: Nur Dhabitah Sabri (pic), the girl with the winsome smile, has reached her first women’s 10m platform individual final at the Diving World Series third leg in Kazan, Russia.

The 17-year-old made her way into the top-six final after finishing second behind Rio Olympic silver medallist Si Yajie of China in the second semi-final grouping yesterday.

Dhabitah amassed a new personal best of 347.25 points from five dives while Yajie, the world champion for this event in 2013, topped the group with 363.35 points.

Canadian Meaghan Benfeito, the Rio Olympic bronze medallist, grabbed the last spot for the final from the second semi-final grouping with 320.75 points.

There was also relief for 2015 world championships bronze medallist Pandelela Rinong as she made the final for the first time this season.

The 24-year-old Malaysian splashed to top spot with 335.65 points ahead of China’s reigning Olympic champion Ren Qian, who had 333.15 points in the first semi-final group. Mexico’s Viviana Del Angel claimed the last ticket for the final with 325.85 points.

Pandelela failed to reach the final in the first two legs in Beijing and Guangzhou last month.

Dhabitah is delighted to have put up a better performance in Kazan compared to her Rio Olympic outing last year.

“This is a better score than when I reached the Rio Olympic final last year (where she finished ninth with 338.00).

“I hope to do better in the final,” said Dhabitah, who finished fourth with Pandelela in the women’s 10m platform synchro on Friday.

Dhabitah-Wendy Ng Yan Yee placed fifth in the women’s 3m springboard synchro final with 280.53 points.


Read more at http://www.thestar.com.my/sport/diving/2017/04/02/good-show-dhabitah/#h3RvaO2E665mS7qc.99