Pandelela Rinong Aquatic Centre
The Sarawak Aquatic Centre in Petra Jaya has been renamed Pandelela Rinong Aquatic Centre and was officiated by Sarawak Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg on May 8.
The Aquatic Centre served as the location for the Malaysia Games (SUKMA) in 2016 and was renamed in honour of the Malaysian diver Pandelela, a Sarawakian, who won silver and bronze medals in the 2016 and 2012 Olympics.
In early December last year, the Sarawak’s Minister of Tourism, Arts, Culture, Youth and Sports, Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah led a delegation from the State and Malaysia Paralympic Council (MPC) to Mexico to observe the staging of the World Para Swimming Championship 2017 in preparation.
The State of Sarawak won the bid to host the World Para Swimming Championship 2019 in the year 2016, and will be hosting the event in this Aquatic Centre next year.
Last year, the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture was merged with the Ministry of Youth and Sports under the Datuk Karim, leading to new approaches towards sports tourism, including increasing international sports events held in Sarawak attracting spectators and athletes.
