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Pandelela sticks to basics ahead of world meet

<b>Aiming to do better:</b> Pandelela Rinong will compete in the 10m platform individual and synchro as well as the 3m springboard synchro at the World Aquatics Championships in Barcelona. —EPA Aiming to do better: Pandelela Rinong will compete in the 10m platform individual and synchro as well as the 3m springboard synchro at the World Aquatics Championships in Barcelona. —EPA 
 
PETALING JAYA: Diver Pandelela Rinong will not raise her degree of difficulty – and instead stick with the basics – as she prepares for the World Aquatics Championships in Barcelona from July 19-Aug 4.

The Olympic bronze medallist will compete in three events – 10m platform individual and synchro as well as the 3m springboard synchro – in her third appearance at the world meet, which will see the world’s best converging for the first time since last year’s London Olympics.
The 20-year-old Pandelela claimed a bronze in the individual platform in London but has not been consistent since.

The Malaysian has only made the podium once in the six-leg Diving World Series season. Although she finished second overall in the series, it was because she competed in every leg.
Besides diving in the platform individual and synchro with Leong Mun Yee, Pandelela is likely to join forces with Cheong Jun Hoong in the 3m springboard synchro.

Amateur Swimming Union Malaysia (Asum) secretary Edwin Chong said that Pandelela was using the current one-month training stint in Guangzhou to polish up on the basics.
“She has no time to train because of her obligation to compete in the Diving World Series. All the travelling and in-between recovery period already make it difficult for her to work on her basics,” he said.

“If a diver does not work on the basics, it’ll be hard to perform high quality dives. That’s why her results in the individual platform were not that impressive ... but we are optimistic she’ll do much better now that she is in China training with the team.
“She will use the same set of dives she did at the world series. It’s also not easy on her as she has to take care of her physical condition.

“Pandelela has had recurrent injuries on her back and elbow ... we need to be careful not to aggravate her condition.”
Pandelela made the individual final and finished fifth twice in 2009 (Rome) and 2011 (Shanghai).
It was in Rome that she partnered Mun Yee to make aquatic history with the bronze in the 10m platform synchro.

Sixteen divers from the elite and back-up squads are in Guangzhou getting ready for the World University Games in Kazan next month as well as for the world meet.

Jun Hoong should be the other local diver competing in three events in Barcelona. The SEA Games champion is down for the 3m springboard individual and synchro as well as the 1m springboard. Traisy Vivien Tukiet and Wendy Ng are down for the 10m platform and 3m platform respectively.
Ooi Tze Liang has been registered for the 10m platform and 3m springboard synchro (with Ahmad Amsyar). Ahmad and Chew Yiwei will compete in the 1m and 3m springboard individual respectively



- The Star

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