Singapore’s Joseph Schooling continued his run of success at the 2015 Southeast Asian Games by dropping an historic 33-year-old national record in the men’s 50-meter free.
Schooling blazed his way to a top time of 22.47 in the sprint free, lowering the Singapore mark of 22.69 set by Ang Peng Siong back in 1982. The time also downed the Games record of 22.62 set by Daniel Coakley in 2009.
Thailand’s Napat Wesshasartar took second in 23.08 with Indonesia’s Triady Fauzi Sidiq earning third in 23.11.
Schooling doubled up with a blistering time of 1:55.73 in the men’s 200-meter fly. That swim vaulted him to seventh in the world rankings, and downed his national record of 1:56.27 set at the 2013 World Championships. It also wiped out his Games record of 1:56.67 from 2011.
Teammate Zheng Wen Quah placed second in 1:56.79, while Philippines’ Jessie Khing Lacuna took third in 2:00.89.
Quah had a strong swim in the men’s 200-meter back with a 2:00.55 for the win. That time undercut the Games mark of 2:00.96 set by Raymond Papa way back in 1997. It also lowered Quah’s Singapore record of 2:01.18 from the 2012 Singapore Age Group Championships.
Vietnam’s Duy Khoi Tran placed second in 2:02.44 with Indonesia’s Ricky Anggawidjaja earning third in 2:03.03.
Schooling and Quah now own 11 of the 17 available long course Singapore national records.
Schooling is the fastest Singapore swimmer ever in the 50 free, 100 free, 200 free, 50 fly, 100 fly, 200 fly and 200 IM. Quah, meanwhile, owns the records in the 50 back, 100 back, 200 back and 400 IM.
The only remaining Singapore records are:
[table “” not found /]Singapore’s Ting Wen Quah topped the women’s 100-meter free finale in 55.93, clearing her own Games mark of 56.03 from 2009. Vietnam’s Vien Nguyen, who is slated to swim in every event, took silver in 56.05. Philippines’ Jasmine Alkhaldi placed third in 56.10.
Malaysia’s Jinq En Phee won the women’s 100-meter breast in 1:10.47. Singapore’s Ru’en Roanne Ho finished second in 1:11.78, while teammate Samantha Louisa Ginn Yeo took third in 1:11.87.
Singapore’s Tao Li put up a 28.90 to win the women’s 50-meter back. That swim undercut her Games record of 29.14 from prelims. That swim downed the 2011 record of 29.37 set by teammate Shana Lim. Lim placed second in finals in 29.36 with Vietnam’s Nguyen earning another medal with a bronze-winning 29.40.
Singapore’s Christie Chue (2:04.63), Xiang Qi Lim (2:04.40), Rachel Tseng (2:04.02) and Quah (1:59.90) won the women’s 800-meter free relay with a time of 8:12.95.
Sergio Lopez Miro