Khiew Hoe Yean. — FAIHAN GHANI/The Star
PETALING JAYA: Swimming may not be expected to deliver medals at the World University Games in Rhine-Ruhr, Germany, but Khiew Hoe Yean could defy the odds.
The 22-year-old has earned a spot in the men’s 400m freestyle final after recording a season-best time of 3:50.13s in the morning heats.
The only time Malaysia won a swimming medal at Games was back in 1991 in Sheffield when Jeffrey Ong splashed to a silver in the men's 1,500m freestyle.
Swimming coach Eric Anderson was pleased with Hoe Yean's form.
"He paced himself well in his first swim. There's more to come from him," said Anderson.
Hoe Yean finished third in Heat 5 behind Nikolai Kolesnikov, swimming under Individual Neutral Athletes banner (3:48.75s) and American Ryan James Erisman Jr (3:48.81s).
Hoe Yean made it to the top eight final as the fourth fastest swimmer from the heats.
Brazilian Eduardo Oliveira De Moraes won Heat 4 in 3:48.84s.
The top eight finishers from the heats advance to the final and Hoe Yean certainly has a shot at ending a long drought for Malaysia at the WUG if he can get near to his personal best time in the 400m freestyle.
Hoe Yean holds the national record of 3:48.36s, which he set at the Australian Championships in Gold Coast last year.
The Kuala Lumpur-born swimmer will be more motivated than ever to make the strongest push for the podium after coming so close in his WUG debut in Chengdu two years ago.
He was placed fourth in the men's 200m freestyle final after clocking 1:48.28s in Chengdu.
Added Anderson: "I anticipated our swimmers to have more chances to swim (if they get past the preliminaries), which is something we won't get to do at the World Championships in Singapore.
"It's just the reality of where we are now."
Bryan Leong ended 31st in the men's 50m butterfly heats after clocking 24.51s while Andrew Goh also missed out on the semi-finals for the men's 100m breaststroke.
Andrew finished 29th in the heats despite clocking his second fastest time of the season (1:02.63s). Hoe Yean, Bryan, Ananda Lim and Arvin Shaun Singh finished 13th in the men's 4x100m freestyle heats (3:23.47s).
