In this biography
Quick facts
- Born
- 2 March 1993
- Birthplace
- Bau, Sarawak
- Country
- Malaysia
- Nationality
- Malaysian
- Known for
- Becoming the first Malaysian woman to win an Olympic medal
- Sport
- Diving
- Olympic medals
- Bronze · London 2012; Silver · Rio 2016
- Main events
- 10m platform and 10m synchronised platform
- World Championship medals
- Five through 2019
Why this life matters
Pandelela changed the range of sports in which Malaysians could imagine an Olympic podium and became an enduring reference point for women athletes from Sarawak.
Timeline
Key moments
Born in Bau
Born in Sarawak and discovered diving through a school talent programme.
Made her Olympic debut
Competed in Beijing at age fifteen.
Won Malaysia’s first world diving medal
Took 10m synchronised bronze with Leong Mun Yee at the World Championships.
Won Commonwealth gold
Captured the women’s 10m platform title in Delhi.
Made Olympic history in London
Won individual 10m platform bronze, becoming Malaysia’s first woman Olympic medallist and first medallist outside badminton.
Added Olympic silver
Won the synchronised 10m platform silver medal with Cheong Jun Hoong in Rio.
Won a fifth Asian Games medal
Took bronze in the 10m platform in Hangzhou.
Continued competing
Won the national 10m platform trial and set qualification for the Asian Games as her next target.
A diver from Bau
Pandelela Rinong was born in Bau, Sarawak, in 1993. A coach identified her through a school talent search, and she began diving while still a child. By fifteen she was representing Malaysia at the Beijing Olympic Games.
Her first global breakthrough came at the 2009 World Championships, where she and Leong Mun Yee won synchronised 10m platform bronze. World Aquatics records the result as Malaysia’s first medal in the history of the championships.
The London breakthrough
Pandelela entered London 2012 as Malaysia’s flag bearer and a Commonwealth champion. In the individual 10m platform final, she recovered from an imperfect opening dive to finish third.
The bronze created two national firsts: she was the first Malaysian woman to win an Olympic medal and the first Malaysian Olympic medallist in a sport other than badminton. The achievement gave elite diving a new place in the country’s sporting identity.
Rio silver and sustained world results
At Rio 2016, Pandelela partnered Cheong Jun Hoong in the synchronised 10m platform. Their silver made Pandelela a two-time Olympic medallist and extended Malaysia’s diving success across consecutive Games.
Her wider record includes five World Championship medals through 2019 and repeated podiums at the Commonwealth and Asian Games. Those results show the longevity behind the two Olympic moments most closely associated with her name.
Competing through another cycle
Pandelela did not qualify for Paris 2024 and a shoulder injury disrupted her 2025 World Championships. She nevertheless returned to win the national 10m platform trial in April 2026.
At that trial she said retirement was not yet under consideration and identified qualification for the 2026 Asian Games as her immediate goal. Her continued presence makes her career not only historic but still active at this biography’s review date.
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions about Pandelela Rinong
- Who is Pandelela Rinong?
- Pandelela Rinong is a diver and two-time Olympic medallist. Pandelela changed the range of sports in which Malaysians could imagine an Olympic podium and became an enduring reference point for women athletes from Sarawak.
- What is Pandelela Rinong best known for?
- Pandelela Rinong is best known for becoming the first Malaysian woman to win an Olympic medal.
- When and where was Pandelela Rinong born?
- Pandelela Rinong was born on 2 March 1993 in Bau, Sarawak.
Sources and further reading
How this biography was checked
Core dates and offices are checked against the sources below. This profile was last reviewed on 31 August 2026.
