Hoe Yean misses final in second Games after stunning debut four years ago

So close yet so far: Khiew Hoe Yean finished ninth overall in the heats.

 

PETALING JAYA: There will be no second Commonwealth Games final appearance for swimmer Khiew Hoe Yean in the men’s 400m freestyle event.

The 23-year-old swimmer just missed out on the top eight final in his pet race after finishing fifth in heat three in 3:54.23s.

Hoe Yean eventually finished ninth overall in the heats with his time, which was off his season best time of 3:50.58s he posted when he won bronze at the Mare Nostrum series in Barcelona in May.

Australia’s Sam Short, the 2023 world champion in this event, was the fastest qualifier into the final with 3:46.23s ahead of teammate Benjamin Goedemans (3:46.47s).

Daniel Wiffen of Northern Ireland set the third fastest pace with 3:47.01s.

In his Commonwealth Games debut in Birmingham four years ago, Hoe Yean made it to the final where he finished sixth in 3:49.95s.

Hoe Yean, who is the current national record holder with 3:47.38s, has stressed though before his departure to Glasgow that he was not tapered to perform at the Commonwealth Games as the Asian Games in October was the main priority.

Another Malaysian swimmer Jayden Tan finished 14th overall in the 400m freestyle heats.

Ananda Lim Yin Chuen and Arvin Shaun Singh did not advance further after finishing 28th (23.82s) and 29th (23.85s) respectively in the men’s 50m freestyle heats.

The top 16 swimmers from the heats progressed to the semi-finals in the evening.

Paris Olympics 100m butterfly silver medallist Joshua Liendo of Canada head the list of qualifiers with a time of 21.80s.

All four swimmers will return to the pool today to focus on getting to the final of the men’s 4x200m freestyle.

With no individual events lined up, the swimmers will be on fresh legs to aim to be among the top eight fastest teams in the heats.

On Friday, Hoe Yean, Arvin, Ananda and Jayden Tan clocked 3:24.32s to finish seventh in the men’s 4x100m freestyle final.

RESULTS

Men

50m freestyle

Heat 1: 1. Arvin Shaun Singh (Mas) 23.85, 2. Hamza Asif (Pak) 24.17, 3. Mohd Fodhyan (Sri) 24.17.

Heat 2: 1. Ananda Lim Yin Chuen (Mas) 23.82, 2. Alexander Joachim (Svg) 23.98, 3. Damien Selso de Sousa (Swz) 24.83.

400m freestyle

Heat 2: 1. Jayden Tan (Mas) 3:57.54, 2. Samuel Sterry (Jer) 4:00.72, 3. Connor Macdonald (Cay) 4:09.64.

Heat 3: 1. Sam Short (Aus) 3:46.23, 2. Benjamin Goedemans (Aus) 3:46.47, 3. Daniel Wiffen (Nir) 3:47.01. Selected: 5. Khiew Hoe Yean (Mas) 3:54.23.

4x100m freestyle

Final: 1. Australia 3:09.49, 2. England 3:11.69, 3. South Africa 3:13.99.

Selected: 7. Malaysia 3:24.32.