Marellyn Training Under Keng Liat In Chase For Another Sukma Success

By LIM TEIK HUAT

Winners: Khoo Cai Lin and Kevin Yeap Soon Choy showing the 400m freestyle medal they won at the Malaysian Open swimming championship in Bukit Jalil yesterday.

KUALA LUMPUR: Sabah-born swimmer Marellyn Liew is turning to former Asian Games gold medallist Lim Keng Liat for guidance as she bids to achieve a fabulous repeat of the Malaysia Games (Sukma) achievements in Tereng–ganu two years ago.
Marellyn was previously based in Bukit Jalil but returned to Kota Kinabalu in February to train under Keng Liat, who is currently preparing the Sabah swimmers for the upcoming Sukma in Malacca from June 10-19.

And the aspiring beautician showed she is in good shape heading towards what is a final Sukma outing by winning the women’s 50m butterfly title in the Malaysian Open swimming championships at the National Aquatic Centre in Bukit Jalil yesterday.

Marellyn, who turns 21 next month, surged to the front from the start and maintained her position to clock a winning time of 27.81.

Marellyn’s effort was not too far off her national mark of 27.45 set at the same meet two years ago.

There was a bonus for her when she anchored the Sabah quartet, also comprising of Chui Lai Kwan, Trini Wan and Evon Heng, to win the 4x100m freestyle in a new meet record time of 3:59.34.

Sabah also held the previous record of 4:00.62 set last year.

Marellyn was satisfied with her efforts as she came in without any serious preparation for it.
“My coach (Alex) told me to concentrate on Sukma as it’s just around the corner and he wants me to be in peak form.

“I took a few days rest before coming here and this is just a warm-up meet. I have always looked forward to competing in Sukma as I enjoyed the fun and I will miss it as this will be my last.

“I had a very memorable outing in Terengganu and I hope to go through it again,” said Marellyn, who is pursuing a higher diploma course in Sabah.

Marellyn basked in the high of winning the Best Sportsgirl award at the Terengganu Sukma after setting two national records.

She is, however, confined to doing only two individual events in Sukma due to her
status as a SEA Games silver medal winning athlete in Laos last year.

Marellyn will bid to win a double when she races the 100m butterfly today.

Selangor’s Foo Jian Beng, the Best Sportsboy at the Terengganu Sukma, capped his first Malaysian Open win by taking the 50m butterfly in 25.97.

Kevin Yeap secured a double gold for Perak in winning the men’s 400m freestyle in 4:00.31. Kevin had won the 1,500m freestyle on Friday.

Khoo Cai Lin claimed her third gold medal at the meet when she came out tops in the women’s 400m freestyle in 4:20.15.

Singapore’s Shana Lim bagged her second meet record in winning the women’s 100m backstroke final yesterday. Shana posted 1:04.62 to erase the previous record of 1:05.73 set by Negri Sembilan’s Lew Yih Wey in 2008.