Pix: BernamaKUCHING: Malaysia's diving ace Pandelela Rinong was touched by the warm reception she received on her return to Sarawak for the first time since her Olympics bronze medal win in London.

Hundreds of well-wishers thronged Kuching International Airport together with scores of VIPs to welcome her back yesterday.

Pandelela, the country’s first woman athlete to win an Olympics medal after finishing third in the individual 10m platform final, later left in a Mini Cooper convertible accompanied by a convoy of bikers for the journey to Astana Negeri, where she met the Governor, Tun Muhammad Salahuddin Abang Barieng.

Two other Sarawak divers – Traisy Vivien Tukiet and Bryan Nickson Lomas – also returned with her after competing in the London Games.

Pandelela, accompanied by her parents Pamg Joheng and Hartini Lamim, was conferred the Johan Bintang Kenyalang award.

She is the first athlete to receive the honor.The state government also announced a special incentive in the form of a full scholarship for Pandelela to pursue her studies in Australia and rewarded her with RM60,000 for her success.

Bryan and Traisy received RM15,000 each.

The Dayak Cultural Foundation presented Pandelela with RM30,000 while Bryan and Tracie got RM10,000 each.

Chief Minister Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud, who hosted a lunch in Pandelela’s honor, said her family, who hail from Kampung Jugan in Bau near here, would also be taken care of.

Pandelela said it had been an exhausting week since “but I want to be strong for everyone”.

“I’ve had to attend functions every day since returning home from London. But I’m happy and thankful to everyone who appreciate what I did. I’m really happy to see all the Sarawakians who made the trip to the airport to welcome us back,” said Pandelela.

- The Star