AQUATICS: Seventh Heaven For Welson

PHENOMENAL: Most promising award caps memorable week for Sarawakian

SARAWAK'S Welson Sim capped a stellar outing at the Malaysian Schools Swimming competition (MSSM) by breaking another two  records on the final day of competition at the Darul Ehsan Aquatic Complex in Shah Alam yesterday.

The freestyle specialist surged to the boys' Under-18 400m freestyle gold in a record four minutes and 6.04 seconds, and erased Kevin Yeap's (Perak) old mark of 4:07.33s set in 2006.

Selangor's Yeap Zheng Yang finished second in 4:13.57s while Alex Tiong (Sarawak) clinched bronze with 4:23.47s.

Welson later anchored Sarawak (Alex Tiong, Granvil Ang, Roydon Ong) to the 4x100m freestyle gold, also in record time.

The team clocked 3:41.49s to better the old mark of 3:41.89s set by Federal Territories in 2011 with Selangor (Lim Jie Wen, Tan Yun Hung, Wong Jun Keat, Benny Ng) taking silver in 3:42.27s.

Penang's Yunn Fun Lim, Tian Fu Chin, Ye Xang Soon and Alwyn Tan clinched bronze with 3:43.66s.

Welson, who won a total of seven gold medals at the championships, said the relay victory was the icing on the cake after a highly successful week in Shah Alam.

"It has been a great tournament for me as I felt strong throughout the week," said the 16-year-old.

"We (Sarawak relay team) had expected to win the 4x100 freestyle but to break the record is a great feeling for all of us.

"It (tournament experience) is a positive experience I will look to build on as I believe there is always room to improve myself."

As expected, Welson -- who rewrote five tournament records -- and Selangor's Yap Siew Hui, who bettered four, won the boys' and girls Outstanding Swimmer of the Championships awards respectively.

Meanwhile, Selangor's Rosalind Pang was in equally impressive form when she anchored her team (Lim Chern Xin, Ho Jia Ern, Shannen Kay Chan) to victory in the girls' Under-12 4x50m freestyle and grab her ninth gold medal at the tournament.

Selangor won in a record time of 2:02.61s which erased the old mark of 2:03.35s set by Sabah in 2008.

Sabah (Jenny Ngo, Ilyani Muhamad, Chi Tong Yipp, Cheng Ka Man) finished second in 2:06.81s while Sarawak (Fatin Farahanim, Mandy Teo, Angel Lau, Toh Chieh Ran) took bronze in 2:10.00s.

In water polo, Malacca successfully defended their title when they beat Negri Sembilan 17-9 in the final.

After clinching the swimming title on Thursday, Selangor were crowned the overall MSSM aquatics champions (including results from diving and water polo) with a 42 gold, 37 silver and 16 bronze haul.

Sarawak, last year's swimming champions, finished second with 21 gold, 21 silver and 25 bronze while FT finished third (15-11-10).

Selangor finished with 42 gold, 37 silver and 16 bronze to emerge the overall MSSM aquatics champions.

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New Swimming Star Helps Selangor To Golden Haul And Overall Title

SHAH ALAM: Selangor celebrated not just regaining the overall title for swimming but discovered a new budding star in Rosalind Pang as the MSSM (national schools) swimming championships concluded at Shah Alam Aquatic Centre yesterday.

Rosalind pulled off the superb feat of winning all nine of the events she entered for in the girls’ 12 and Under age group as she anchored the Selangor quartet to a record-breaking victory in 4x50m freestyle relay.

And the perfect feat saw her named the best overall swimmer in girl’s 12 and Under age group.

Rosalind, together with Liew Chern Xin, Ho Jia Ern and Shannen Kay, clocked 2:02.61 to break the five-year-old mark of 2:03.35 held by Sabah in the 4x50m freestyle relay.

Rosalind’s other victories were in 50m and 100m backstroke, 50m, 100m and 200m freestyle, 100m butterfly and 200m individual medley as well as the 4x50m medley relay.

It was an astonishing turn-around from last year’s meet held in Kota Kinabalu where she only managed a single medal in the same age-group – a silver in 100m freestyle.

But then the Selangor coaches were already expecting her to shine, having dominated her age-group category in the Selangor state swimming meet for the past two years.

“I did not expect to win all the events I took part in. My favourite disciplines are backstroke and freestyle, so I was actually targeting for these,” said Rosalind, who lives in Kota Kemuning and is already part of the Selangor state swimming team. “The results here will boost my efforts to swim faster. I am hoping I will be able to move up and swim for the country one day,” she added.

Selangor captured the overall title with a comfortable total tally of 37-36-14.

In second-placed were Sarawak with 20-18-24 with Sabah edging Kuala Lumpur to third place with 14-12-13. The city boys finished fourth with 13-11-9.

Sarawakian Welson Sim claimed two more gold medals in record-breaking fashion to bring his tally to seven gold medals altogether.

Welson erased the meet record of 4:07.33 held by Kevin Yeap since 2006 in winning the 400m freestyle Open race in 4:06.04.

The 16-year-old Welson anchored the Sarawak team to victory and a new record of 3:41.49 in the boy’s 16-18 4x100m freestyle, bettering the previous record of 3:41.89 set by Kuala Lumpur in 2011.