Cindy to don latest swimsuit worn by Dressel and Schooling

Malaysia’s Masters world champion swimmer Cindy Ong posing with the Fastskin swimsuit after signing an agreement with Speedo.

KUALA LUMPUR: There were Christmas cheers for Masters world champion swimmer Cindy Ong as swimwear maker Speedo has renewed its sponsorship commitments with her.

Cindy will be wearing the latest Fastskin swimsuit worn by the likes of American world champion Caeleb Dressel and Singapore’s Olympic gold medallist Joseph Schooling when she goes for any future competitions.

All yours: Former national swimmer Cindy Ong (right) posing with the sponsorship agreement with Speedo Outlet operations manager Sujatha Balakrishnan yesterday. — SIA HONG KIAU/The Star

Speedo, who also signed up national long distance swimmer Jayden Tan, will also continue to provide cash incentives if Cindy makes the podium in the international competitions she attends.

2020 has not been a particularly busy year for Cindy because of the Covid-19 pandemic but she is charting her plans to achieve a major career goal – to become the first Malaysian world record holder for swimming.

The former national butterfly swimmer, who competes in the women’s 35-39 age-group category, revealed yesterday that Russian Vladimir Morozov has agreed to team up to make a bid for a new Masters mixed relay world record.

Swimmers of different nationalities are free to team up for the relay as Masters swimming is club-based.

The 27-year-old Morozov, who is a 2012 London Olympics bronze medallist, is the current world record holder in the 100m individual medley (short course).

New deal: Former national long distance swimmer Jayden Tan is also sponsored by Speedo.

“There had not been many competitions but I was lucky to swim in the Tokyo Masters where I won several gold medals and broke two records.

“I will prepare to defend my titles in the World Masters Swimming Championships, which have been pushed back to 2022 in Japan because of the pandemic.

“Along the way, I will need to insert a few meets to gauge where I stand. But of course, the ultimate goal is to try to get a world record.

“I would like to hold at least one world record before I move into the next age category.

“Russian swimmer Vladimir has agreed to swim with me and now we need to figure out the other team members (each team will have two men and two women), ” said Cindy, who also expressed her thanks to Speedo for supporting her training needs.

Cindy, born in Ipoh and now a mother of three children, made the nation proud by claiming five golds and two silvers at the World Masters Swimming Championships in Gwangju, South Korea, last year.