Diving: Pandelela pulls out of two synchro events in Shanghai

Pandelela Rinong has yet to recover from a knee injury sustained while training at the national team’s base in Guangzhou a week ago.

PETALING JAYA: Diver Pandelela Rinong has pulled out of the ongoing World Cup in Shanghai.

Coach Yang Zhuliang scratched Pandelela’s name from the women’s 3m springboard synchro on Wednesday as she has yet to recover from a knee injury sustained while training at the national team’s base in Guangzhou a week ago.

With Pandelela out, Malaysia now face a grim task to repeat the bronze medal feat achieved in London two years ago. Then, Huang Qiang-Bryan Nickson Lomas earned a first-ever World Cup medal for Malaysia by finishing third in the men’s 3m springboard synchro.

Wendy Ng Yan Yee-Dhabitah Nur Sabri replaced the Pandelela-Mun Yee combination, but they were out of depth. They finished seventh with 294.45 points.

For Thursday’s 10m platform synchro, Jun Hoong will replace Pandelela as Mun Yee’s partner.

Zhuliang admitted that Malaysia would have a better chance of winning a medal if Pandelela had competed in the two synchro events.

“At the World Championships in Barcelona last year, Pandelela finished fifth with Jun Hoong in the 3m springboard synchro. And she partnered Mun Yee to win the bronze in the 10m platform synchro, so her absence is a big blow to us.

“Pandelela only started pool training yesterday (Wednesday) after one week of rest. And we didn’t want her to aggravate the injury,” said Zhuliang.

There is, however, a possibility of Pandelela taking part in the individual platform on Saturday.

Meanwhile, Dhabitah partnered Chew Yiwei to a creditable sixth place in the mixed team event by securing 336.70 points.

As expected, hosts China swept both the golds – mixed team event and women’s springboard synchro – on Wednesday.

by Lim Teik Huat - The Star