Malaysia Sending Smaller Swimming Squad To SEA Games

National swimmers Khoo Cai Lin (left) and Daniel Bego, winners at the 2013 Myanmar SEA Games, will compete at the Singapore Games in June. - Filepic

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia will have a smaller group of swimmers compared to their main rivals at the Singapore SEA Games in June.

The Amateur Swimming Union of Malaysia (Asum) have named 17 participants – nine men and eight women – for the Games.

Multiple SEA Games gold medallist Daniel Bego will lead the men’s squad. The others are Welson Sim, Wong Fu Kang, Lim Ching Hwang, Kevin Yeap, Tern Jian Han, Shaun Yap, Vernon Lee and Alywn Tan.

Christina Loh, the United States-based breaststroke specialist, will head the women’s team. Khoo Cai Lin, Erika Kong, Yap Siew Hui, Chui Lai Kwan, Phee Jinq En, Angela Chieng and Carolyn Chan are the others selected.

Four swimmers – Alwyn, Angela, Carolyn and Jinq En – will be making their debuts.

Seasoned campaigners Yap See Tuan, Ian James Barr, Asmalia Filzati Redzuan and Nadia Adrianna Redza all failed to make the squad.

Asum acting secretary Mae Chen said they would be happy to maintain the four-gold haul from the 2013 Myanmar Games.

“All those going are capable of bringing home medals. I believe there could be some surprises as some of them did pretty fast times at the recent Malaysian Open.

“But we do not want to be over confident at this point as we don’t know how our rivals are doing,” said Mae.

At the Myanmar Games, Christina won the 100m and 200m breaststroke golds. Daniel (400m freestyle) and Cai Lin (800m freestyle) contributed one gold each.

Welson, Erika Qualify For World Swim Meet

Welson Sim competing in one of the events at the 58th Malaysian Open Swimming Championships in Kuala Lumpur.

Erika Kong celebrating her victory in the women’s 200m breaststroke.

KUCHING: Welson Sim Wee Seng and Erika Kong Chia Chia will represent Malaysia at the Fina World Championships in Kazan, Russia from July 24 to August 9.

The Bukit Jalil-based swimmers from Sarawak made the cut for the world meet when they beat the qualifying times at the 58th Malaysian Open Swimming Championships at the National Aquatic Centre in Kuala Lumpur last week.

Welson splashed to three gold medals in the national championships in the men’s 100m freestyle (51.73s), 400m freestyle (3:53.91s) and his most impressive achievement – the 200m freestyle – in which he clocked 1:49.67s, which was only 0.45s off the national record of 1:49.67s set by fellow Sarawakian Daniel Bego in 2009.

As for Erika, she won the women’s 200 individual medley (2:20.80s) and 200m breaststroke (2:36.21s).

She was also second in the 50m breaststroke (32.47s) and 100m (1:12.19s), clocking times better than her personal bests.

Apart from the five gold medals, the nine-member Sarawak team also captured four silver and five bronze medals.

Angela Chieng Chui Fei, who had just joined the national squad beginning of this year, bagged the silver in the women’s 800m freestyle (9:09.10s) and the bronze in the 400m freestyle.

Vernon Lee Jeau Zhi delivered a silver medal in the men’s 1,500m freestyle with a time of 16:05.31s.

He finished third in the men’s 200m freestyle (1:52.62s) and 400m freestyle (4:01.31s).

Sarawak’s other bronze medals were contributed by Daniel Bego in the men’s 100m freestyle (52.08s) and 100m butterfly (55.53s).

State head coach Hii Hieng Chiong was satisfied with the team’s performance, saying that Welson and Erika had done very well in the meet.

“They have not only helped Sarawak win five gold medals but also booked their tickets to the world championships in Russia,” he said.

While those in the national squad have won medals, Hii said the international competition had provided good exposure for state swimmers like Nee Gui Ping, Alex Tiong, Tan Tyng and Leong Wan Ying.

“The state swimmers have managed to improve their personal bests and the best thing for Sarawak is that all swimmers except for Daniel Bego who competed at the meet are eligible for Sukma 2016,” he added.

He said sending them to compete in the Malaysian Open was part of the state’s preparations for Sukma XIX in Sarawak next year.


Read more: http://www.theborneopost.com/2015/04/02/welson-erika-qualify-for-world-swim-meet/#ixzz3W7Db1Ct0

Globetrotting Dhabitah On A Mission

Dhabitah (left) will partner Wendy Ng (right) in the 3m springboard synchro at the Diving World Series meet.

PETALING JAYA: Diver Nur Dhabitah Sabri is certainly going places.

She is set to feature in the Diving World Series for the first time as the withdrawal of Australia’s Maddison Keeney-Annabelle Smith has paved the way for Malaysia to earn a slot in the women’s 3m springboard synchro in the two upcoming rounds in Kazan, Russia (April 24-26) and in London (May 1-3).

Keeney-Smith were the bronze medallist at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games last year.

The 15-year-old will partner Wendy Ng Yan Yee in their first participation in the series.

Coach Yang Zhuliang said the World Series will be a good platform for Dhabitah to stamp her mark as one of the country’s rising star in the sport.

“It is only for the top six pairs in the world. Dhabitah partnered Wendy to finish seventh in the World Cup in Shanghai last year and they were the first reserves for the World Series,” said Zhuliang.

“We will likely bank on Dhabitah and Wendy to defend our SEA Games gold medal for the 3m springboard in Singapore, so I hope they take the opportunity to polish up their routines.”

The timing of the World Series could not have been better for the pint-sized Dhabitah, who stands at 153cm, as Kazan will also host the World Championships in July.  

Besides Pandelela, Cheong Jun Hoong will dive in the 10m platform synchro with Leong Mun Yee and the 3m springboard individual while Pandelela will participate in the 10m platform individual.

Malaysia have two medals to show after the first two rounds in Beijing and Dubai. Jun Hoong-Mun Yee delivered silver in Beijing and bronze in Dubai last month.