NO STOPPING WELSON
Sarawakian continues to set new marks as he targets to make Olympics on merit
WELSON Sim yesterday became the country’s fastest man in the pool as
he set yet another national record and it is getting Malaysian fans all excited over his Olympic prospects.
It is hard for his fans not to think so as the Sarawakian has consistently beaten a number of world and Olympic champions of late.
Yesterday at the Australian Championships, Welson became the first Malaysian to break the 50 second-barrier in the men’s 100m freestyle in Adelaide.
Welson produced a blistering 49.98 seconds to erase his own national record of 50.03s set three months ago at the Asean University Games in Myanmar.
In wanting to become a world class athlete, the 22-year-old made the bold decision to journey to the land of swimming giants, Australia.
Welson based himself at the Melbourne Vicente Swimming Club which boasts of having some of the sport’s biggest names, Olympic 400m champion Mack Horton among others.
And Welson proved that he is no “ikan bilis” among these sharks, as he took them on with much ferocity. The intense training at the club, where he also worked with elite swimmers like Horton in the past few months, has done wonders for him.
Records have been bettered as he keeps getting faster.
Though based on current times Welson is not in the running for an Olympic medal, he is improving at such a rate that he has fired up the imagination of his fans who trust he could spring a surprise in Tokyo next year.
At the Australian Championships, which attracted top swimmers, Welson emerged 10th fastest out of the 91 in the heats.
Among the top Australians who took part were reigning Olympic champion Kyle Chalmers and 2015 World Championships silver medallist Cameron McEvoy.
Chalmers was the fastest qualifier on 48.60s.
However Welson, a national record holder in the four freestyle events, was only allowed to swim in the heats as he is not an Australian national.
Nonetheless, the outing Down Under has given Welson huge doses of confidence and proves he has what it takes to battle the world’s top guns.
Welson’s new personal best in the 100m meant he has surpassed the B qualifying time of 50.30s for the Olympics.
He also made the B Olympic marks for the 200m and 400m events at the New South Wales Championships last month. He won silver in both events.
He not only set a new national mark in the 400m at the New South Wales meet but also beat Horton and a host of world class swimmers for the medal.
In February, Welson overcame Horton and McEvoy for the 200m gold at the Victorian Open.
However, swimmers are not guaranteed of a ticket to the Olympics under B cut. They will only get to go if the list of those who surpass the A time is not filled up.
“The 100m freestyle is not an event I am focusing on. I am using it as part of my training regiment.
“I want to qualify for the Olympics via A times in the 200m and 400m,” said Welson.
The Australian Championships is Welson’s last meet before he returns to take part in the Malaysian Open in Bukit Jalil from April 23-28.