KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 5 – A disastrous first dive which garnered only 18 points – spelt disaster for Pandelela Rinong in the women’s 10m platform individual finals at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics on Friday and finished last.
The 28-year-old Sarawak-born Pandelela, never recovered from the first dive, although she recovered well in the second dive with an impressive score of 71.5 points.
Pandelela secured 60.80 in her third and 52.80 in the fourth and a poor 43.20 in the last for a total of 245.85 that was only enough for 12th and last place.
Earlier in the semi-finals Pandelela sneaked into the final round with a 12th place finish.
As expected, China once again ruled with dazzling performances from their teen sensations for a 1-2 finish in the medal hunt.
Fourteen-year-old Quan Hongchan was the darling at the Tokyo Aquatic Centre with near flawless dives. The judges credited her with scores of 96.00, 95.70, 96.00 and 96.00 for a high total score of 466.20 for the gold.
Compatriot Chen Yuxi, the reigning world champion and aged only 14, took the silver with 425.40 points. Australian Melissa Wu settled for the bronze with 371.40.
It was also disappointing day for Malaysia at the Izu Velodrome in Shizuoka as targeted medal hopes Datuk Azizulhasni Awang and Muhammad Shah Firdaus Sahrom failed to make the quarter-finals in the men’s sprint.
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