Gan Ching Hwee won the women’s 400m final in 4min 11.88sec. - ST
BANGKOK: Touching the wall way ahead of her nearest rivals, Singapore swimmer Gan Ching Hwee not only retained the SEA Games women’s 400m freestyle title in style on Dec 12, but also continued her quest for a rare triple-triple in the stroke.
Having also won the 200m gold on Dec 11, Gan will match a unique achievement if she retains her 800m title on Dec 15.
But the 22-year-old, who won the 400m free in 4min 11.88sec at the Huamark Aquatic Centre – ahead of Thailand’s Kamonchanok Kwanmuang (4:13.56) and Vietnam’s Vo Thi My Tien (4:17.39) – is taking nothing for granted.
“Regional competition has been pretty stiff, as we have seen in the past couple of days, so I still need to work hard,” said Gan, who also pocketed a women’s 4x100m free silver on Dec 10.
“For my event schedule, it’s been increasing with each day from the 100 all the way to the 800, so I still need to give it my all in terms of preparation.”
Malaysia’s Nurul Huda Abdullah was the only athlete who had won golds in the women’s 200m, 400m and 800m freestyle across three consecutive SEA Games. She achieved the milestone from 1985 to 1989.
Singapore legend Junie Sng won all three events in 1977, 1981 and 1983 but finished second to Thailand’s Sirirat Changkasiri in the 200m final in 1979.
But Gan looks set to become the first Singaporean to accomplish the feat over three consecutive Games. When told that she is just one win away from it, she said: “I didn’t realise I was so close to achieving such a streak, to be honest. I’ve been taking it one race and one day at a time as I still have a few more races to go.
“It will definitely be such an honour if I do manage to do it, especially to contribute to Team Singapore’s legacy and to inspire the next generation of athletes. Regardless of the outcome, I am grateful for all the support and the opportunity to represent the nation.”
She said of her 400m final: “It was a good race today. The Thai swimmer beside me was really fast and I saw her on the last lap, so I really gave everything I had to finish the race.
“I’m feeling great. The morning swim (heats) wasn’t as smooth as I hoped it would be. So I came into tonight’s finals with a little bit of self doubt, and I remembered my coach telling me to trust myself and swim like I have always been training, and it will be fine. So I’m glad I did that.”
The national swimmers ended the third day of the swimming meet on a high when the quartet of Quah Zheng Wen, Chan Chun Ho, Jonathan Tan and Mikkel Lee retained the men’s 4x100m medley title in 3:38.47, leading from start to finish ahead of Thailand (3:40.28) and Vietnam (3:41.34).
Despite the vociferous home crowd cheering for their compatriots like they had won gold, it was the Singapore quartet who extended their winning run to a seventh Games since 2013, after seeing several proud streaks come to an end earlier.
Quah, 29, said: “It’s a great showing for us, especially coming out from yesterday’s disappointment in the relay (when they finished third in the men’s 4x200m freestyle). I’m glad we managed to come out and accomplish what we set out to do this evening, and we are so very proud to represent Singapore.
“Obviously we come in with some sort of pressure. We’ve been very good at this relay for many years now, but the important thing is to remember to support each other and have fun too. That’s how we really bring out the best races in each other, and that’s exactly what we did today, and I’m very proud of them.”
Chan, a 21-year-old Games debutant who also won a men’s 100m breaststroke silver on Dec 11, added: “It’s my first SEA Games gold medal and I’m just so glad to be swimming next to these big boys.”
With Lee in blistering form after claiming the men’s 50m and 100m freestyle crowns earlier, his roommate Tan was handed a relatively unfamiliar role with the butterfly third leg.
The 23-year-old said: “It’s definitely different, but it’s always an amazing opportunity to be part of the relay swimming with these guys and I treasure it always.”
Lee, 22, added: “Jonny was watching an Instagram reel this morning about Billie Jean King saying pressure is a privilege. Pressure brought the best out of us, these boys showed up today and I’m very happy for sure.”
In the women’s 100m freestyle, Singapore’s four-time defending champion Quah Ting Wen bagged a bronze after clocking 55.60 to finish behind Filipinas Kayla Sanchez (54.82) and Heather White (55.36).
While she was heartened to have matched Joscelin Yeo’s SEA Games record of 62 medals, and going faster than her 2023 winning time of 55.83, she said: “I know I gave it all I had. I have no regrets. I’m sorry I didn’t win but I just want you to know that we are trying our best.”
As the 33-year-old approaches the twilight of her career, there are bright sparks as two young guns broke national records.
Debutante Julia Yeo, 14, finished fourth in the women’s 200m backstroke in 2:16.51 behind Thailand’s Mia Millar (2:13.95), Filipina Xiandi Chua (2:15.73) and Indonesia’s Adelia Aulia (2:16.39), but went under Tao Li’s 2019 mark of 2:17.12. Another Singaporean teenager Victoria Lim, 15, was seventh in 2:21.85.
A panting Julia, who initially didn’t realise she had claimed the senior record, said: “I’m disappointed because I missed out on a medal by a bit, but I’m glad I can put my name in the record books.
“It has been very fun but also very scary and nerve-racking at the same time because this is my first SEA Games and it was very exciting to swim in a final like this, where it was very loud and rowdy. Hopefully, next SEA Games, I can stand on the podium.”
Russel Pang, 15, then grabbed a bronze in the men’s 1,500m. His time of 15:28.46 is more than two seconds faster than Glen Lim’s 15:30.87 set in 2019, as Vietnam’s Nguyen Huy Hoang (15:19.58) remains unbeaten in this event since 2017 and his teammate Mai Tran Tuan Anh (15:22.59) took silver.
Russel said: “It feels great to know that all the work I put in for the past year training with this event paid off and I’m rewarded with this bronze medal and national record which I’m very proud of and I’m sure my coaches and my team members will be very proud of as well. I’m hoping to qualify for the Asian Games next year, and this is just a step towards it.”
Meanwhile, Vietnam underlined their strength in men’s distance swimming as Nguyen Quang Thuan (4:19.98) surprised his countryman Nguyen Tran Hung (4:25.45), who had won all the men’s individual medley events since 2019, to take gold. Malaysia’s Tan Khai Xin (4:25.98) was third while Singapore’s Zackery Tan (4:34.01) was fifth. - The Straits Times/ANN
