Welson breaks another record
NATIONAL swimmers were in fine form at the World Cup in China where they broke a slew of national short course (25m) records yesterday.
Welson Sim led the way at the National Aquatics Centre in Beijing and broke the national 400m freestyle record after clocking three minutes and 48.93 seconds to finish ninth overall.
The former national mark of 3:50.87s was set at the 2013 Singapore World Cup by Daniel Bego.
Welson had on Friday broken Daniel’s 200m freestyle record of 1:49.21s (set at 2013 Singapore World Cup), when he clocked 1:48.25s to place 17th overall.
The 20-year-old, who won two gold at the Kuala Lumpur Sea Games, said it was a proud achievement.
“It is nice to add these short course national records to my other (long course 50m) records,” said the Sarawakian.
“I definitely learned a lot competing here as the turns and pacing are different than to what I am used to (long course).”
Keith Lim, Tern Jian Han and Chan Jie were also in impressive form.
Keith clocked 22.55s (21st) in the men’s 50 freestyle to better the former national record of 23.15s set by Lim Ching Hwang.
Jian Han’s time of 53.70s (14th) in the men’s 100m butterfly saw him cutting off almost four seconds from Tan Gin Yu’s former national record of 57.49s.
Chan Jie had also swam faster than the old record time as he clocked 54.43s for 16th overall.
Both Ching Hwang and Gin Yu’s former records had also been set at the 2013 Singapore World Cup. Fadhli Ishak