Perak swimmer Kevin Betters Own Meet Record In Malaysian Open

By LIM TEIK HUAT

Long-distance specialist: Perak’s Kevin Yeap en route to winning the men’s 1,500m freestyle at the Malaysian Open on Friday. — MOHD SAHAR MISNI / The Star

KUALA LUMPUR: Perak long-distance swimmer Kevin Yeap primed up for a double golden assault at next month’s Malaysia Games (Sukma) in Malacca with a record-breaking effort in the Malaysian Open swimming championships at the National Aquatic Centre in Bukit Jalil yesterday.

The Bukit Jalil-based swimmer, who will turn 21 in August, bettered his own meet record en route to winning the men’s 1,500m freestyle well ahead of Iran’s Saman Salari.
Kevin finished the 30-lap race in 15:55.64 to erase his previous record of 16:02.02 set two years ago.

It was not his fastest effort, though, as he had clocked 15:51.80 en route to taking the silver medal at the Laos SEA Games in December.

Still, it was good enough for him to emerge as the only record breaker of the day and Kevin himself was satisfied to be in good shape as he gears up for the Sukma from June 10-19.
Kevin is hoping to be the first swimmer to win double gold medals in the 400m and 1,500m freestyle for the third consecutive Sukma.

“I will be out to retain my 400m and 1,500m freestyle gold medals.

“Hopefully, I can pull it off with new records as this will be my last Sukma,” said Kevin, who will be making his fourth appearance at the biennial Games.

“I did not go all out as the priority is to peak at Sukma.”

Kevin will bid to pick up his second gold in the Malaysian Open when he competes in the 400m freestyle today.

Laos Games gold medallist Khoo Cai Lin breezed to victory in the women’s 200m individual medley and 200m freestyle races.

She posted 2:23.07 to finish ahead of Hong Kong’s Wong Yee Ching (2:25.11) and Sarah Ho (2:26.36) in the 200m individual medley.

The Selangor-born Cai Lin then won the 200m freestyle in 2:04.62, ahead of Kuala Lumpur’s Chan Kah Yan (2:08.96) and Hong Kong’s Cheng Yuen Yee (2:10.21).

Fifteen-year-old Christina Loh, representing Kuala Lumpur, claimed her first gold medal in the Malaysian Open when she clocked 34.28 in the women’s 50m breaststroke.

It was outside her national record of 33.42 set in March but enough to put her in front of Hong Kong’s Li Cheng (35.20) and Pahang’s Boey Wen Teng (35.81).

Kuala Lumpur had another winner in Melvin Chua, who won the men’s 200m individual medley in 2:10.12, pipping team-mate Ian James Barr (2:11.01).

MEN
50m breaststroke: 1. Fu Chun Pong (Hkg) 29.79, 2. Kwok Sum (Hkg) 30.18, 3. Joel Tan (Sin) 30.28.
200m individual medley: 1. Melvin Chua (Kul) 2:10.12, 2. Ian James Barr (Kul) 2:11.01, 3. Cheng Ka Chun (Hkg) 2:15.41.
200m freestyle: 1. Rainer Ng (Sin) 1:55.31, 2. Kevin Lim (Kul) 1:56.53, 3. Mattias Ng (Sin) 1:59.64.
1,500m freestyle: 1. Kevin Yeap (Prk) 15:55.64 meet rec, 2. Saman Salari (Iri) 16:29.30, 3. Keith Sin (Hkg) 17:05.76.
4x200m freestyle: 1. Hong Kong 8:00.81, 2. Iran 8:08.35, 3. Kuala Lumpur 8:12.43.

WOMEN

50m breaststroke: 1. Christina Loh (Kul) 34.28, 2. Li Cheng (Hkg) 35.20, 3. Boey Wen Teng (Pah) 35.81.
200m individual medley: 1. Khoo Cai Lin (Sel) 2:23.07, 2. Wong Yee Ching (Hkg) 2:25.11, 3. Sarah Ho (Hkg) 2:26.36.
200m freestyle: 1. Khoo Cai Lin (Sel) 2:04.62, 2. Chan Kah Yan (Kul) 2:08.96, 3. Cheng Yuen Yee (Hkg) 2:10.21.
4x200m freestyle: 1. Hong Kong 8:50.33, 2. Sabah 8:58.86, 3. Kuala Lumpur 9:18.43.