KUALA LUMPUR: Diver Pandelela Rinong is back in business.
The two-time Olympic medalists said she can now focus on regaining her form after recovering from a string of injuries which slightly affected her progress since the start of the season.
Pandelela, the 2010 New Delhi Commonwealth Games champion, is raring for action in the three-day Kuala Lumpur leg of the Diving Grand Prix (GP), which starts on Friday, in Bukit Jalil.
The 24-year-old will compete in her forte events -- women’s 10m platform individual and synchro (with Leong Mun Yee) -- in the KL GP. She will also compete in the same events at the Gold Coast GP round on Nov 9-12.
It will be interesting to watch Pandelela and Mun Yee in the synchro event as this is the first time they are competing together since winning bronze medals in the Kazan and Beijing legs of the 2016 World Series.
Mun Yee is a replacement to Cheong Jun Hoong, who will only compete in the platform mixed team, as she is still recovering from a lower back injury.
Pandelela’s season has been mixed so far in the platform individual event compared to her success in the synchro where she took bronze with Jun Hoong in the World Championships in Budapest in July.
The Sarawakian suffered a right shoulder injury during the World Series in April and was only given the go-ahead to compete two days before the start of the world meet.
"The GP rounds (in KL and Gold Coast) will serve as a platform to prepare myself for next year’s Gold Coast Commonwealth Games and Indonesia Asian Games.
“The events will give me the opportunity to get comfortable with my dives and also to enjoy my passion for the sport.
"I want to give my best effort in both events and also watch and learn new things from China and other countries,” Pandelela told Timesport on Tuesday.
Pandelela revealed that it has been challenging this season following injuries.
"I suffered various injuries and it was tough then. I went through the processes of recovery pretty well and I am okay now.
“I am progressing slowly to peak for next year’s assignments.
"There were plans to increase my degree of difficulty (DD), but it has been put on hold as there is not enough time to train for them as the Commonwealth Games is just a few months away.
"I will stick to the same usual dive routines at the moment,” Pandelela added.