Aquatic: See Tuan's Slow Start

A POOR dive from the blocks cost Pahang's Yap See Tuan a national record but he still managed to smash the Malaysia Games men's 50m breastroke record at Hang Jebat Sports Complex Aquatic Centre in Alor Gajah yesterday.
See Tuan's slow starts have become a norm since surgery to his left shoulder in 2008 as the Kuantan-born swimmer is unable to keep his hands close before diving into the pool.

See Tuan had beaten his own Games record of 30.94s in the heats and was looking forward to rewriting his national mark of 29.80 but only registered 30.00. Ooi Jia En of Johor was second with 30.91 while Lau Zheng Fong of Perak clocked 31.20 to finish third.

See Tuan, who also won the 100m breastroke on Friday, said that his slow starts have always left his coaches fuming but he is unable to overcome the problem.

"I was slow to dive and was down to third place.

If I could have had a decent start, I would have broken the national record," said See Tuan.

"I suffered a shoulder injury and had to go for surgery.

I can swim better now but the pain is there when I over-exert in training and I also find it difficult to keep my hands together which is important to get a smooth start. "Nevertheless, I am aiming for the Games record in the 200m breastroke tomorrow (today)." Three Games records fell in the women's events.

Christina Loh of FT registered 33.55 in the 50m breastroke to beat the old record of 34.43 held by Raja Azlina Izzah of Terengganu.

Boey Wen Teng of Pahang was second (34.34) and Tan Rou Jun of FT third with 34.77.

Hii Siew Siew of Sarawak beat the 200m butterfly record of 2:20.70 set by Sia Wai Yen in Sabah a decade ago with 2:20.66 as Chong Siew Mun of FT finished second (2:22.91) while Angela Chieng of Sarawak was third (2:28.32).

Sabah quartet Chui Lai Kwan, Heng Kor Jin, Terri Wan and Marellyn Liew broke their own record of 3:56.51 set in 2008 with 3:59.33 while FT settled for silver (4:05.80) and Sarawak secured bronze (4:07.29).

FT's Chan Kah Yan continued her dominance by winning her fifth individual gold with a slow 9:23.20 in the 800m freestyle.

Tan Li Ling of Sabah (9:39.58) and Freda Awang Pan of Sabah (9:50.36) finished second and third respectively.

Selangor won two gold medals through Kevin Lim in the men's 200m butterfly and the men's 4x100m freestyle.

Meanwhile, Ooi Tze Liang of Penang won his second gold medal in diving when he took home the men's individual 10-metre platform with 389.35.

Ahmad Fakhri Khairuddin of Selangor was second with 385.30 and Pardika Indoma of Sarawak third (381.60).