Khiew’s worth queueing up for
Hoe yean ends campaign in Gold Coast with another national record
National swimmer Khiew Hoe Yean continued with his fine form at the Australian Open as he smashed his national record in the men’s 800m freestyle event in Gold Coast.
The 21-year-old Paris Olympics hopeful clocked 8:01.30s to finish sixth, improving on his previous national mark of 8:02.78s which he posted at the World Aquatics Championships in Doha, Qatar, two months ago.
2024 world championships silver medallist Elijah Winnington of Australia won the race in 7:43.08s, holding off fellow Australian Sam Short who settled for silver in 7:43.98s.
Reigning 400m freestyle world champion Kim Woo-min collected bronze in 7:49.69s for South Korea.
It was the exact podium finish in the 400m freestyle that appeared again in the 800m freestyle.
Hoe Yean thus concluded his campaign in the Australian Open in impressive fashion, having set two new national marks in his pet events.
He clocked 3:48.36s en route to taking fourth place in the 400m freestyle two days ago, bettering his previous record of 3:48.72s set in the 2022 edition of the world meet in Budapest.
Hoe Yean may be well off the Olympic Qualifying Time (OQT) of 7:51.65s but his latest effort will give him an added shot of confidence ahead of next year’s Thailand Games as he now holds the two fastest times in the region for the 800m freestyle.
Singapore’s Glen Lim also showed up in Gold Coast for the Australian Open, finishing 12th in the 800m freestyle with 8:15.70s.
“Pleased to grab two personal bests and two new national records in Australia. I will keep up the hard work and dedicate more time to my training to achieve better times,” said Hoe Yean, who has until June 23 to qualify on merit for the Paris Olympics.
If he fails to achieve the OQT standards, the Kuala Lumpurborn swimmer can hope for an invitation ticket from governing body FINA to compete under the Universality rule.
The Universality rule is to make sure every member nation gets a chance to be represented at the Olympics in one event.
Another Australian based Malaysian swimmer Arvin Shaun Singh placed 71st in the men’s 50m freestyle heats (24.22).