Young ’uns well in sync
Bright future ahead as newcomers prove their worth in pool
THE national synchronised swimming team’s future is bright.
Malaysia wrapped up their campaign with a gold and a silver at the National Aquatic Centre in Bukit Jalil yesterday for an impressive total haul of two golds and three silvers.
Zylane Lee-Gan Hua Wei exacted sweet revenge on Singapore’s Debbie Soh-Miya Yong by taking the duet free routine gold.
Debbie-Miya looked set to add another title to their duet technical triumph on Friday after chalking up 76.2333 points.
But Zylane-Hua Wei, who took to the pool later, spoilt their rivals’ party as they danced their way to the gold with 76.300 points.
“We were really nervous after seeing their high score,” said Hua Wei, who also won the solo technical gold.
“We knew we had to putt on the best performance of our lives to stand any chancce of winning the gold. And we did it!
“Performing under pressure sometimes can get the best out of you. Perhaps, that was the key to our victory.”
Zylane was elated to end her gold drought after settling for silver in the duet technical and solo free.
“It was very satisfying,” said Zylane, who won the duet gold with Katrina Ann Abdul Hadi in Singaporre two years ago. “Havving performed solidly in my preevious two runner-up finishes, I think I deserved somethinng from these Games and I’m really glad to win the gold in my last event.” Zylane-Hua Wei did notn take part in the team free routine later in the evening. But it didn’t matter as Chai Jia Yue, Foong Yan Yue, Gan Zhen Yu, Lee Yiat Lum, Lee Yiat Xin, Mandy Lim Jia Jia, Liyana Nadirah Mohd Fairuz and Ong Jie Wen put up a spirited display to retain the silver they won in Singapore.
Their efforts earned them 73.0667 points.
But it wasn’t enough to stop Singapore, led by Debbie and Miya, from romping to an easy victory with 75.1333 points.
Indonesia took the bronze with 71.4667 points.
It’s worth noting that while Singapore featured the same team from two years ago, four of Malaysia’s members – Liyana, Mandy, Jia Yue, and Jie Wen – are new faces, having been roped in just last year.
The national team, coached by Long Yan of China, have shown that they are coming along just fine following the shock retirement of the talismanic Katrina in 2015.
Katrina led Malaysia to a clean sweep of five golds at the Jakarta Games in 2011.