KUALA LUMPUR – Although national diver Pandelela Rinong wrote herself into the history books yesterday when she captured the gold medal at the Diving World Cup in Tokyo, would it be fair for her to now be pressured into delivering yet another gold medal at the forthcoming Olympics?
Citing her achievement in the last two Olympics, in London and Rio, Olympic Council Malaysia (OCM) president Tan Sri Mohamad Norza Zakaria believes that Pandelela is now a more mature athlete who is able to face any amount of pressure, at any competitive level, regardless of the expectations placed upon her.
“The Tokyo Olympics will not be her first. She delivered the bronze and the silver in London and Rio, so I don’t think she’s incapable of handling the pressure, but at the same time, I do agree that Pandelela should be given some breathing space after her latest win,” Norza said when contacted.
On the other hand, Pandelela told The Vibes last night that the win came at the right time, and it will serve as a great morale booster for her to clinch the elusive gold medal for Malaysia at the Tokyo Olympics in August.
“I’m feeling great, not only about the win, but it’s simply fantastic to be able to experience the excitement of competition once again after more than a year. More importantly, I gained invaluable lessons here ahead of the Olympics that will serve to improve my performance.”
Asked how she is coping with the immense expectations to deliver at the Olympics following her emphatic win, Pandelela said that the pressure is always there, but she has already learnt to absorb the pressure by adapting to the situation.
“When you represent the country, the pressure is imminent, but what’s important is to remain consistent and to continue to do better,” the 28-year-old Sarawakian said via WhatsApp.
In any case, athletes have always felt pressured to perform well in tournaments, but expectations to win Olympic gold from the officials, as well as the public, take it to a whole new level. In the past, this exact scenario happened to Datuk Lee Chong Wei, when the hopes of the entire country to win their first Olympic gold landed squarely on his shoulders.
“This is true, but because I’ve made it (to the Olympics) before, I can understand what (Lee) went through. Instead of a medal target, I’m hoping that they will bless (the team and I) with their prayers, which would be very much appreciated, as it will undoubtedly lift our spirits,” Pandelela concluded.
A nominal amount of pressure is conducive for athletes as it nurtures the competitive spirit, but too much of it can have an adverse effect on athletes, causing them to lose focus as a result of the mental strain.
It could be argued that Pandelela delivered at both the London and Rio Olympics because the focus and pressure was on Lee, but this time, all eyes will be on her, as well as world No. 1 cyclist Mohd Azizulhasni Awang, to win Malaysia’s elusive prize.
Nevertheless, The Vibes believes that Pandelela should be given some room to breathe in order for her to perform at the upcoming Tokyo Olympics, as she showed strong character when she defeated Matsuri Arai of Japan and Canada’s Caeli McKay to grab the women’s 10m platform individual event at the Tokyo Aquatics Centre. – The Vibes, 6 May 2021
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