In Seventh Heaven

Full of promise: Loo Yie Bing holding the trophies she won on the third day of the MSSM championships in Ipoh yesterday.

PETALING JAYA: Loo Yie Bing is only 12 but she is already making heads turn at the Tuanku Zara Aquatic Centre in Ipoh.

The young Sabahan created a splash when she erased one of the oldest records on the third day of the MSSM swimming championships yesterday.

Yie Bing posted 1:01.25 in the girls’ 7-12 100m freestyle event to smash the record of 1:02.54 held by former Olympian Leung Chii Lin, who is also from Sabah, since 2003.

Chong Xin Lin, her main rival in the meet, settled for silver with 1:07.23.

Yie Bing went on to win the 200m individual medley as well to bring her gold medal tally to an impressive seven.

She clocked 2:39.65 as Selangor’s Xin Lin finished second (2:41.93) ahead of her teammate Yoong Jia Jia (2:49.07).

Yie Bing was denied a clean sweep when she was beaten by Xin Lin in the 50m backstroke.

Xin Lin clocked 33.30 to break the 2016 meet record of 33.95 set by Fabian Janetty of Sabah. Yie Bing came in second with 35.07.

Yie Bing enjoyed a strong opening act on Sunday by winning the 50m breaststroke, 50m butterfly and 200m freestyle.

She also came out tops in the 100m butterfly and 100m breaststroke on Monday.

Yie Bing has improved by leaps and bounds since her MSSM debut in Melaka last year where she picked up four golds, two silvers and a bronze.

Sarawakian Hii Puong Wei finally had a gold to show after playing second fiddle to Kuala Lumpur’s Khiew Hoe Yean in the boys’ 16-18 age group.

Puong Wei had to smash the 2018 meet record of 2:10.16 held by Hoe Yean to secure the 200m individual medley gold medal with 2:09.30. Hoe Yean also dipped under his old record with 2:09.55 for the silver.

Hoe Yean, however, was victorious in the 50m backstroke and 100m freestyle to bring his gold medal tally to six.

He smashed the meet record of 27.53 held by Wong Tzi Rok of Selangor since 2014 in winning the 50m backstroke in 27.37.

Bukit Jalil-based swimmer Angelina Chan clocked 2:24.86 to break the girls’ 16-18 200m individual medley record.

Her time erased the previous record of 2:25.43 held by Erika Kong of Sarawak since 2011.

Read more at https://www.thestar.com.my/sport/swimming/2019/03/27/in-seventh-heaven/#GcJAxbf6hfccS5Ay.99