Letitia Sim sets SEA Games record, but decade-long winning streaks end in the pool for Singapore

BANGKOK: Letitia Sim was the headline act of a two-gold effort by Singapore’s swim team on day one of swimming competition at the 33rd Southeast Asian (SEA) Games, but a number of longstanding winning streaks also came to a halt on Wednesday (Dec 10).

This included the women’s 4x100m freestyle relay and the men’s 100m backstroke events, which Singapore have not lost at the Games since 2015.

In the women's 50m breaststroke, 22-year-old Sim timed 31.03, to finish ahead of Thailand’s Jenjira Srisa-Ard, who beat her at the last edition of the Games. Thailand's Saovanee Boonamphai and Malaysia’s Phee Jinq En finished joint-third.

The time is also just shy of Sim’s national record of 30.92, set at the Japan Open in 2023.

Subscribe to CNA's Recommended Read

A single handpicked story that we think you shouldn't miss. Just one a day.

This service is not intended for persons residing in the E.U. By clicking subscribe, I agree to receive news updates and promotional material from Mediacorp and Mediacorp’s partners.

Loading

"That's a pretty good time for me," said Sim. "The competition is kind of rising this year, which is a good thing for the world to see and make (a) name for Southeast Asia."

In the men’s 100m freestyle event, Mikkel Lee and Quah Zheng Wen took gold and silver in a one-two finish.

This is Lee’s first Games gold in the event. He won the 50m butterfly and was part of the victorious men's 4x100m freestyle relay quartet at the last edition of the Games.

"There are so many great guys before me that have won this 100(m) freestyle. I'm just glad to add my name to the list," said Lee, who clocked a time of 48.65, a new personal best. 

WINNING STREAKS END

However, Singapore's swimmers were pipped to the wall in a number of other events.

In the 100m backstroke, Zheng Wen took bronze with a time of 56.04, behind Indonesia’s Jason Donovan Yusuf (55.08) and Farrel Tangkas (55.89).

"(I'm) very disappointed, I've been winning this event for five times in a row now. I think I just wasn't recovered enough from the previous event (and) really felt it towards the end of that race," said Zheng Wen, who has won this event at the Games since the 2015 edition.

"But it is what it is, it is part of racing and looking forward to the next few days."

In the 200m butterfly, Thailand’s Kamonchanok Kwanmuang won gold, Vietnam’s Thi My Tien Vo finished with silver and Quah Jing Wen the bronze.

"This event is very special to me. It was my first SEA Games gold and ever since then I've been chasing a certain high that I just can't seem to reach for this event", said Jing Wen, who was in tears. 

"I just gave my everything. Every time people ask me how it feels after a race when it goes this badly, when you have so much expectations, it is just very hard to put into words."

The 25-year-old has owned the 200m butterfly crown since the 2017 Games.

"I'm proud of how she's moved through everything," said Zheng Wen of his younger sister. "She's a warrior and she's going to bounce back after this event."

It was the Philippines' quartet of Kayla Sanchez, Xiandi Chua, Chloe Isleta and Heather White who took gold in the women's 4x100m freestyle relay with a time of 3:44.26. This was more than two seconds ahead of Singapore's Gan Ching Hwee, Ashley Lim, Quah Jing Wen and Quah Ting Wen.

"I love relays a lot and I always like being able to feel that sense of satisfaction and success with the three other girls. There is a little bit of regret that we didn't win it," said Ting Wen. 

"Everyone tried their best and I'm proud of them."

National swimming head coach Gary Tan stressed that there are five more days of competition left to go and the swimmers remain in high spirits.

"Definitely, it's hard to swallow. We don't want to lose, no one wants to lose," said Tan of the streaks coming to an end.

"There are a lot of uncontrollables as well ... We just got to step up every single day, and get better every single day. A streak is tough to hold on to but this is the reality of the sport."