KUCHING, Aug 21 (Bernama) -- Selangor swimmer Andrew Goh bettered his national and Malaysia Games (SUKMA) record not once but twice en route to winning the men’s 50 metre (m) breaststroke gold medal at the Pandelela Rinong Aquatic Centre here, today.
The 20-year-old clocked 27.40s in the final for the victory which was faster than the 2023 Cambodian SEA Games gold medal winning time of 27.70s clocked by Indonesian Felix Viktor Iberle.
Joseph Chan Kai Xiang (29.32s) of Melaka and home favourite Hector Ho Rze Jun (29.67s) settled for silver and bronze, respectively.
Earlier in Heat 3, he clocked 28.03s to improve his previous national mark of 28.10s set at the 2023 Malaysia Open in Kuala Lumpur and SUKMA record of 28.86s set by Melaka’s Foong Wei Tze in the 2018 edition.
On Monday, Andrew broke his own national and Games records en route to winning the 100m breaststroke gold, clocking 1:01.39s to erase his national mark of 1:02.30s set at the 2024 Malaysia Open and Wong Fu Kang’s SUKMA time of 1:03.05s set in the 2016 edition.
The United States-based Andrew, who received the medal from the Raja Muda of Selangor Tengku Amir Shah Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah, was very grateful for the experience.
“I have never been in a royal presence before, it’s just amazing and so special today. I was inspired by my Monday record, so the plan was to go as fast as I can and attempt for the record.
“I am waiting for SEA Games in Thailand next year. I can’t do anything but training now…Aiming to get faster, and win medals in the SEA Games,” he said.
Meanwhile, Isabelle Chiyi Buckley from the Federal Territories (FT) also broke the SUKMA record twice to clinch the women’s 50m breaststroke gold.
After clocking 32.83s in the heats earlier to improve on Christina Loh’s 33.29s set at the 2016 edition, the 15-year-old raised the Games’ benchmark to 32.76s in the final.
Johor’s Alicia Li Ann Soosai (33.10s) and Low Ee Mang (33.68s) of Selangor completed the podium.
The record breaking feat in the pool continued as FT’s Muhammad Dhuha Zulfikry completed the men’s 1,500m freestyle in 15:51.53s to erase the 15:53.67s mark set by Sarawak’s Vernon Lee Jeau Zhi in the 2012 edition.
Muhammad Dhuha then joined Yap Min Shun, Bryan Leong Xin Ren and Jayden Tan to win the men’s 4x100m freestyle gold with a new Games record of 3:25.52s, thus outclassing the time of 3:28.22s set by Selangor quartet in the 2016 edition.
The third day of SUKMA swimming competitions, then concluded with another Games record being dashed in the women’s 4x100m freestyle event.
Selangor’s Morgan Eleven Teo Kai Cheng, Yoong Jia Jia, Lim Shun Qi and Khew Zi Xian bagged the gold with a time of 3:55.84s, bettering the 3:56.51s time set by Sabah in the 2008 edition.
Getting into the last two-days of splashing in the pool, FT and Sarawak are in close contention for the overall swimming title, after the FT bagged 12 gold, nine silver and six bronze, while the host has a haul of 12-1-7.
-- BERNAMA
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