A golden adieu

Wei Tze smashes Games record en route to breaststroke gold

FOONG Wei Tze (pic) bowed out of the Malaysia Games (Sukma) stage in stylish fashion, breaking the Games record en route to delivering a precious gold for Melaka on the third day of the swimming competition at the Tuanku Zara Aquatic Centre.

The 20-year-old, who represented the country at the Asian Games in Indonesia last month, touched home first in 28.86 in the boys’ 50m breaststroke final yesterday to shatter the previous Sukma record of 29.31 set by Selangor’s Shaun Yap in Kuching two years ago.

Ng Jing Fu, who won the 100m breaststroke race on Monday, had to be content with silver this time after finishing in 29.64 while Adam Afif Faizal of the Federal Territories took bronze in 30.17.

It was a perfect end for Wei Tze after claiming a silver in the 200m freestyle on Monday.

“This is my last Sukma and my last event. I was eyeing the Sukma record and I was feeling good in the warm-up,” said Wei Tze.

“I swam well in the morning heats and I knew I had an 80 per cent chance of getting a new record and winning my first gold.

“I’m happy to contribute a gold to Melaka as I can’t swim in the next Games. I did what I could and I hope the next batch of swimmers will continue to do well for Melaka,” he said.

Wei Tze’s previous best outing in Sukma was winning a bronze in the 50m breaststroke in Kuching.

Melaka have not won a swimming gold in Sukma for the last 18 years but now they have two to show from Wei Tze and also Goh Chia Tong in the girls’ 200m backstroke.

Tia’a Faang Der continued to impress for Johor by breaking another Games record, this time in the boys’ 200m butterfly. He posted 2:02.30 to smash his own record of 2:02.93 set in Kuching in 2016.

National long distance swimmer Angela Chieng delivered two golds for Sarawak in the girls’ 800m freestyle (9:10.65) and 200m butterfly (2:21.63).

Alicia Li Ann, only 14, completed a double for Johor by winning the 50m breaststroke race in 33.90.

Alicia won the 100m breaststroke event on Monday.

FT and Selangor shared the top honours by winning the respective boys’ and girls’ 4x100m freestyle relays.