Quah Ting Wen becomes Singapore's most bemedalled SEA Games athlete, surpasses Joscelin Yeo's 62 medal record

BANGKOK: Swimmer Quah Ting Wen made history on Saturday (Dec 13) when she became Singapore's most medalled SEA Games athlete.

Ting Wen won the women's 100m butterfly ahead of her younger sister Jing Wen, bringing her total Games medal tally to 63. This puts her ahead of legendary swimmer Joscelin Yeo, who had 62.

"It was a privilege for me to be able to swim next to her today," said Ting Wen of Jing Wen. "She is the reason why I am able to race fast ... I dedicate this race to her in a way, and I'm thankful that I reach this milestone doing it next to her."

The 33-year-old made her Games debut in 2005 and this is her 10th appearance at the biennial meet. She has three medals at this edition of the Games so far: one gold, one silver and one bronze.

In a Facebook post, Singapore Aquatics (SAQ) said Ting Wen's journey is "defined by grit, longevity, resilience, and an unwavering commitment to excellence". 

"What an extraordinary achievement, and what a powerful testament to consistency at the highest level," said SAQ.

"We also take this moment to honour Joscelin Yeo, whose record stood tall for many years and inspired generations of swimmers who followed.

"From one trailblazer to another, this passing of the torch reflects the depth, legacy, and enduring strength of Singapore swimming."

In the men's 100m butterfly final, Ting Wen's younger brother Zheng Wen won gold in a time of 52.25s.

Letitia Sim continued her stellar meet as she won her third gold of the meet in the 100m breaststroke with a time of 1:06.79. This was a Games record, Sim's third in as many days.

Said Sim: "I've had a lot of luck with threes. My birthday is 03/03/2003, and I guess that's just my lucky number."