Xin Lin breaks meet record in backstroke win, Dhuha settles for 1,500m silver

Splashing win: Chong Xin Lin broke the 11-year record set by Vietnam’s Nguyen Thi Anh Vien in the girls’ Under-16-18 50m backstroke at the South-East Asia (SEA) Champion­ships in Singapore

PETALING JAYA: It was joy for backstroker Chong Xin Lin but heartbreak for Mohd Dhuha Zulfikry on the final day of the South-East Asia (SEA) Champion­ships in Singapore yesterday.

The 18-year-old Xin Lin Thailand SEA Games-bound swim­mer finally claimed gold for Malaysia after winning the girls’ Under-16-18 50m backstroke event in 29.42s and broke the long-standing meet record held by Vietnam’s Nguyen Thi Anh Vien in the event.

Anh Vien, who is Vietnam’s most successful swimmer having won a total of 25 gold medals at the SEA Games, set the record of 29.76s in 2014.

Indonesia’s Alexandra Chelsea also dipped under Anh Vien’s record in taking silver in 29.59s.

It was the perfect end for Xin Lin after settling for silver in the 200m backstroke event on Thurs­day and missing out on the podium in the 100m backstroke with a fourth-place finish on Wed­nes­day.

National swimming coach Eric Anderson was happy with Xin Lin’s good account of herself in the meet.

“She swam the second fastest ever time in Malaysia for 50m backstroke and that’s just an indication of where she is headed with the Thailand SEA Games in December.

“Her peers were all there and it was all part of the learning process as we prepare for the SEA Games,” he said.

It was at the same pool in the Singapore National Champion­ships last year when Xin Lin clocked 29.33s to break the national record of 29.51s set by Caroline Chan back in 2016.

But another SEA Games-bound Dhuha had to be satisfied with another silver, his third in as many days, despite also breaking the meet record in the 1,500m freestyle.

Dhuha dipped under the meet record of 16:13.76s set by Vietnam’s Tran Tuan Anh Mai in 2019 but his effort of 15:45.17s was only good for second place.

Vietnam’s Tran Van Nguyen Quoc has placed himself as a contender for the SEA Games after winning the event in 15:42.25s.

Dhuha, who splashed to six golds in the Malaysia Games (Sukma) in Sarawak last year, had taken silver in the 200m and 400m freestyle events earlier.

Malaysia also bagged two more gold medals yesterday through Ch’ng Saw Huai and Sheamus Chew.

Saw Huai won the boys’ Under-14-15 200m butterfly in 2:09.21s while Sheamus came out top in the boys’ 13 and below 100m freestyle in 56.06s.

Malaysia also hauled six silvers from Vivian Tee in girls’ 14-15 50m backstroke (30.45s), Loo Cheng Feng in boys’ 14-15 100m freestyle (52.68s), Nadia Lim in girls’ 14-15 100m freestyle (58.58s), Khoo Sue Ern in girls’ 16-18 200m breaststroke (2:40.61s), Shannon Tan in girls’ 200m butterfly (2:19.48s) and Goh Li Jie in boys’ 16-18 200m butterfly (2:03.34s).

Two more bronze medals were contributed by Megan Ho in girls’ 14-15 50m backstroke (30.56s) and the boys’ 18 and under 4x100m medley event (3:57.98s).