Quicksilver Carmen (SEPTEMBER 17 - 23)

Teen stuns the field in 50m freestyle with new Games record

CARMEN Lim showed why shee isi Malaysia’s fastest one-arme ed female swimmer by emerging g as the only gold-medal contributor on the fourth day of the Kuala Lumpur Asean Para Games swimming competition.

The sweet-looking 17-year-old retained her women’s (S8) 50m freestyle title with a new Games record at the National Aquatic Centre in Bukit Jalil yesterday.

Carmen bettered her old mark of 39.14 seconds, set at the Singapore Games two years ago, by clocking 36.48. Thai Thongbai Chaisawas (39.56) took the silver while Indonesia’s Nor Aimah (41.28) finished third.

Carmen, who was born without a left arm, won a silver earlier in the day after clocking 42.57 in the women’s 100m backstroke, which Indonesian Gus Malayanti won in 42.07.

“I trained hard for the Games, so I’m happy to get the gold in this event,” said the aspiring lawyer, who dedicated the gold to her mother Angie Ng, who passed away due to a heart ailment three years ago.

Carmen will further her studies in Wales after this but said that she would continue to represent the country.

“I’ll be studying law, but I will also continue swimming.

“I’m still young and winning this will encourage me to aim higher. I want to go to the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics, although I know I’ve got to work very hard to make that dream come true,” said Carmen.

There were also silver-medal wins from three-time Paralympian Zul Amirul Sidi Abdullah, his son Anas, Ting Jin Ping and Muhd Nur Syaiful Zulkafli.

Malaysia are just one shy of equalling the seven-gold haul from the 2015 edition in Singapore.

The swimmers have raked in six golds, 13 silvers and eight bronzes so far.

Para swimming ends today, with 10 golds up for grabs.

I’m still young and winning this will encourage me to aim higher. I want to go to the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics.

Carmen Lim