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| Pamg Joheng, father of Pandelela Rinong, is all smiles as he proudly shows some of his daughter’s medals and the old Yamaha 80 which he used to send her and her elder brother for dive training 12 years ago. Pic by Ghazali Bujang |
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| Pamg Joheng (right) and his daughter, Parcelia Renyelia, in front of their house in Kota Samarahan. Last year, Pamg’s daughter, Pandalela Rinong, bought her father a new Proton Exora to fetch her from the airport. Pic by Ghazali Bujang |
And if Malaysia’s new darling Pandelela Rinong drew even a little from her father’s drive and sacrifice, those were the things that started her journey towards Olympic bronze, a journey which by all indications, is far from over.
Pamg never went far in his studies.
Knowing just how tough life was without education, he vowed his children would never have to go through what he went through during his younger days. Staying close to his father’s principles, Pamg always reminded his children to plan ahead in life.
“My father used to tell me to plan two days ahead, so that we can live today,” Pamg told the New Sunday Times. It could be said that Pamg took his father’s words and built on it. Instead of planning two days ahead, he planned years ahead.
It was 12 years ago, when Pandelela was 7, that Pamg would take her and her elder brother, Pardika Indoma, 8, for diving lessons.
Despite earning only RM45 a day, the contract worker knew he had to sacrifice for his children’s future.
So, Pamg would hop on his trusty old Yamaha 80 motorcycle to send the siblings for training at the Stampark swimming pool in town, even breaking traffic rules to ensure they didn’t miss out. “I wanted them to be somebody.
I wanted them to be better than me and I am willing to do everything for them.”
When only Pandelela was picked for the state diving team then, Pamg was devastated.
The state coach told him that only Pandelela had the physique of a diver and her brother lacked that.
"I was very sad for my boy but I am happy for her at the same time. But at that young age, she needed support. She will never go far if she is separated from her brother," said Pamg.
Again, Pamg did what he had to do for his children; he spoke to the coach to let Pardika train together with the team, so that he could be close to his sister. The coach agreed.
As his family grew bigger with the birth of his third daughter, Pici Parnia, 14 years ago, Pamg saved some money to buy a car.
At that time, he could only afford a second hand Mitsubishi Trident to transport his family.
"It was nothing to shout about. It was a bit rusty, but it ferried us. Every time I had to send Pandelela to the airport or to pick her up, I felt a little shy coming with a car like that, but that was what I could afford then."
For a man who went through hardship in life, Pamg had never once given up on his children. Instead, he stayed close to them and gave them whatever support he could.
His drive and support proved vital for Pandelela on Friday.
On the 10m platform, a poor first dive saw her starting off in 10th position. But Pandelela fought back and eventually earned the bronze.
In doing so, she became the first Malaysian woman to win an Olympic medal and also the first to win a medal other than badminton.
But before the final, Pandelela had a case of the jitters. Who could blame her, especially when she had to compete against some of the best divers in the world?
It was the thought of her father that calmed her down.
"I told her to remember my teachings and that I will pray for her every hour until she goes through her events. I also told her to shout out my name if it helps her to feel better before her jump."
Pandelela did cry out his name, as she told her father on the phone when she won the bronze medal.
That was the happiest telephone call for Pamg and his two younger daughters, Pici and Parcelia Renyelia that morning, after watching her on the podium live on television.
Pamg said the family could only talk to Pandelela through the telephone since she became a national athlete. It was, he said, the heaviest price for the family to pay -- being apart from her.
"Over the past years, we have missed celebrating Gawai Dayak and Christmas with her. It is a sad thing for us, but we understand that she has a strict training regime to follow and we do not want to disturb that."
The only time Pandelela would be home with them was when there was an official event. After that, she had to go back to Kuala Lumpur on the same day.
The sports council did sponsor flight tickets for Pamg and his wife, but he said the expenses of staying in Kuala Lumpur would be too much for him to bear.
"Let her be with her mother... I can always talk to her on the phone and drive her around when she comes back. It would be like the old days when she was home.
"I hope the sports council will give her some sort of leave so we can spend time with her as a family. That is all I ask for," said Pamg.
Pamg no longer drives his old Mitsubishi Trident to pick Pandelela from the airport.
Last year, his daughter bought him a brand new silver Proton Exora to do that.
Read more: A father’s Olympian sacrifice - General - New Straits Times http://www.nst.com.my/nation/general/a-father-s-olympian-sacrifice-1.124071#ixzz23PAazQqf
