Young swimmers shine as Singapore clinch three more SEA Games golds in Cambodia
Jonathan Tan during the men’s 4x200m freestyle relay on Sunday (May 7), at Morodok Techo Aquatic Centre, in Phnom Penh, Cambodia (Photo: CNA/Jeremy Long)
PHNOM PENH: It was a 19-year-old, a 20-year-old and a 21-year-old who led the charge for Singapore at the Morodok Techo Aquatics Centre on Sunday (May 7) as the swim team clinched three gold medals at the 32nd SEA Games.
This brings Singapore’s total in the pool to seven, after four on Saturday.
Jonathan Tan, 21, got the gold rush underway as he won the men’s 50m freestyle with a time of 21.95s. Tan beat defending champion and compatriot Teong Tzen Wei, who took silver (22.50s).
Earlier in the day, Tan had met the Olympics "A" cut after setting a national record in the event’s heats.
His time of 21.91s was also a new SEA Games record and personal best. The Olympics "A" qualifying time is 21.96s.
Describing it as a "dream come true", Tan noted that missing the last Olympics had been a tough pill to swallow. He missed out on the 'A' cut for Tokyo by about 0.1 of a second during a local qualifier in 2021.
"I had my coaches to help me, I had my friends, my family all supporting me and helping me through. I hope I made them proud," said Tan.
"It's definitely a goal (I had) in mind coming into the SEA Games, and achieving it is a great relief ... I can see progress with myself."
National head coach Gary Tan told reporters that Jonathan fixed certain things in his training, including changing things up in the gym.
"I'm really pleased and very happy with Johnny. I think he (Jonathan) did fantastic," he told reporters. "Coming off with an 'A' cut, that is something I'm really pleased about and he's worked really hard for it."
Then Gan Ching Hwee, 19, retained her title in the 200m freestyle (2:01.76) ahead of Thailand’s Kamonchanok Kwanmung.
Singapore’s Chan Zi Yi finished third with a new personal best of 2:02.94.
Letitia Sim, 20, would win gold in the 200m individual medley with a personal best time of 2:14.49, while teammate Quah Jing Wen took the bronze.
In the men’s 50m backstroke, Quah Zheng Wen (25.61s) could not hold on to his crown as Indonesia’s I Gede Siman Sudartawa won the gold in a time of 25.16s, while Philippines’ Jerard Jacinto clinched silver (25.56s).
Sudartawa set the Games record of 25.12s in 2019.
It was silver for debutant Nicholas Mahabir in the men’s 100m breaststroke as defending champion Phan Tham Bao of Vietnam clocked a new Games record of 1:00.97. Singapore’s Maximilian Ang took third.
The men's 4x200m freestyle relay team comprising Jonathan, Darren Chua, Glenn Lim and Ardi Zulhilmi Azman would clinch silver in the day's final event, as Vietnam defended their title.
"I am excited for it (to see the new swimmers coming through). But we've still got so much work to do, the countries that are coming through, they also have young swimmers as well," said Singapore swimming's head coach.
"We cannot be complacent ... and we need to consistently try to get a younger crop of kids through."
Catch the 32nd SEA Games Cambodia 2023 live with three dedicated channels on mewatch. Sign in now at www.mewatch.sg/seagames to catch all the action for free, or catch highlights on Mediacorp Entertainment on YouTube.
