COUNTDOWN TO GOLD COAST COMMONWEALTH GAMES – 15 DAYS TO GO
KUALA LUMPUR: Welson Sim (pic) showed his potential to be the first Commonwealth Games male swimming finalist in 16 years since Alex Lim Keng Liat following a record breaking performance in the just concluded National Age-Group meet in Bukit Jalil.
The Gold Coast-bound swimmer clocked 1:47.96 to come within touching distance of his national record of 1:47.36 set at the Kuala Lumpur SEA Games last year to win the men’s 18 and over 200m freestyle race on Sunday.
The previous meet record of 1:50.10 was also held by Welson since 2016.
Welson had earlier won the 400m freestyle event in a new record time of 3:53.47, bettering his own meet record of 3:55.18 set two years ago.
The 20-year-old also topped the 100m freestyle in a new personal best time of 50.28, not far from Daniel Bego’s national record of 50.16 set in 2009.
The previous meet record was 50.30 set by Welson in 2016.
The 2017 Olympian of the Year recipient Welson is optimistic about his second Common- wealth Games campaign.
“I was still new to the national team in Glasgow four years ago and my participation was limited to the heats,” said Welson.
“This time, I want to reach the semis and hopefully make it to the final. I probably have to clock my personal bests to reach the final.
Keng Liat was the last Malaysian male swimmer to make it to the final when he took silver in the men’s 50m backstroke and bronze in the 100m backstroke at the Manchester Games back in 2002.
“I am swimming against world and Olympic champions here ... so I will be happy to be in their company (in the final),” said the Sarawakian.
“My training is going on well and I’m happy with the times I made in the national age-group competition considering it’s not my main focus.”
Among the top male swimmers gracing the Commonwealth Games are Rio Olympic champions Kyle Chalmers of Australia (100m freestyle), Mack Horton of Australia (400m freestyle), Adam Peaty of England (100m breaststroke) and Singapore’s Joseph Schooling (100m freestyle).