DIVING: Pandelela-Mun Yee take silver at World Series

PANDELELA Rinong and Leong Mun Yee marked their status as one of the medal contenders at the Olympic Games by bagging a silver medal in the women's 10-metre platform synchro in the Diving World Series opening leg in Dubai on Saturday. Pandelela-Mun Yee, who earned an Olympic quota spot at last month's World Cup in London, finished strongly in their last three dives to post a total of 318.38 points to finish second in a field, comprising Olympic, world and continental champions. The achievement is timely for the Malaysian pair ahead of the Olympics where they are hoping to earn the country's first Olympic medal in diving. Pandelela, who is from Sarawak, was also on the podium on Friday for her bronze medal effort in the platform individual. On Saturday, they were fifth after two dives out of seven finalists but moved one rung up on 72.80 before posting 73.92 in the fourth round to move into the top-three bracket. Pandelela-Mun Yee were then battling for the silver and bronze with Canada's Meaghan Benfeito-Roseline Filion and Mexico's Paola Espinosa-Alejandra Orozco. In the fifth and final dive, Pandelela-Mun Yee turned in a flawless attempt and the judges awarded the pair 72.96 points for the silver ahead of bronze medallists Benfeito-Filion, the silver medallists at the World Cup. China's world champions Chen Ruolin-Wan Hao, as expected, led from start to finish to take gold on 344.40 while Germany' Christin Steuer-Nora Subschinski, the bronze medallists at last year's World Championships in Shanghai , finished fifth with 307.53. Amateur Swimming Union of Malaysia secretary Edwin Chong said Pandelela and Mun Yee have improved but their scores are still not good enough to challenge China at the moment. "We are, however, delighted with their achievement in Dubai. It will help them with their confidence ahead of the Olympics as they will face the same competitors in London," said Edwin yesterday. They divers will head to Beijing for the second leg of the series this weekend. The third (Moscow) and fourth (Mexico) legs are scheduled for next month.