Asmalia Swimming To Prominence In MSSM

Asmalia Filzati Redzuan (right) set a new meet record of 2:09.22 en route to the girls' 200m freestyle at the MSSM championship in Shah Alam. - M. AZHAR / The Star

SHAH ALAM: Asmalia Filzati Redzuan only took up swimming because her brother was involved in the sport.

Now, she’s in the national team.

The teenager proved her potential when she gave hosts Selangor a fantastic start in the MSSM (national schools) swimming championships by setting a new meet record en route to winning the girls’ 200m freestyle event in the 16-18 category at the Shah Alam Aquatic Centre on Sunday.

Asmalia, who will turn 16 on July 18, clocked 2:09.22 to better the 2:09.51 done by Lai Wei Li of Sabah in 2009.

Penang’s Andreanne Soon (2:16.80) took silver and Kuala Lumpur’s Yap Li Wen (2:16.89) the bronze.

Asmalia went on to bag a second gold in the 800m freestyle Open, clocking 9:28.27. Her team-mate Rosalind Pang (9:40.02) took silver and Johor’s Ong Yong Qi (10:00.06) the bronze.

The tudung-clad Asmalia was delighted to be the only record-breaker in the girls’ division yesterday.

Asmalia, who joined the national team under Australian coach Paul Birmingham last year, is hoping to be picked for the SEA Games in Singapore in June.

“The time I did today in the 200m freestyle is not my best. I’ve done 2:08 before ... but I’m happy,” said Asmalia.

“I’ll try to do well in the Malaysian Open next week as it will decide whether I get to go for the SEA Games.”

It was 10 years ago that the Klang-born Asmalia first decided to get into the pool.

“My brother used to come here to swim and I started to develop an interest when I was only six. I’m the youngest in my family of four ... and the only one to have come this far,” said Asmalia, who prefers the long distance and butterfly events.

Two meet records were also set in the boys’ section by Nee Gui Ping (50m butterfly in the 13-15 age category) and Foong Wei Tze (50m breaststroke in the 16-18 age category).

Sarawak’s Gui Ping clocked 26.84 to break Kuala Lumpur Ian James Barr’s mark of 26.99 set in 2010 while Malacca’s Wei Tze clocked 29.71 to erase Tang Chong Heng’s record of 29.91 set last year.