Sweet victory: Christina Loh made up for last Friday’s defeat to main rival Erika Kong by winning the 100m breastroke event in Manila Saturday. PETALING JAYA: Fifteen-year-old Christina Loh hit back with a vengeance by wiping out a seven-year-old meet record to take her first gold medal in the South-East Asia (SEA) age-group swimming championships at the Trace College Aquatic Pool in Manila yesterday.
Christina, one of the golden hopes for Federal Territory in the Malaysia Games (Sukma) in Malacca next week, surged ahead of compatriot Erika Kong to win the girls’ Group 2 100m breaststroke race in 1:12.90.
It was a sweet victory for Christina, who erased Singaporean Sando Ho’s record of 1:13.87 set in 2003, to get the better of Sarawak-born Erika, who also dipped under the meet record in 1:13.27.
On Friday, Erika had pipped Christina to the gold medal in the 50m breaststroke race in a new record time.
Both the 15-year-olds have yet to win a Sukma gold medal and the stage is now set for them to slug it out in the breaststroke disciplines in Malacca.
Federal Territory can also look forward to another golden outing from 15-year-old Ian James Barr, who continued with his winning ways by grabbing his third gold medal in Manila.
The lanky Ian smashed another 18-year-old meet record en route to winning the boys’ Group 2 200m backstroke final in 2:09.12. His time erased the previous mark of 2:09.27 set by Nattapong Khetin of Thailand in 1992.
Ian had earlier bagged gold medals in the 200m individual medley and 100m backstroke on the opening day of competition.
Tang Chong Heng of Sarawak delivered the third gold medal for Malaysia on the second day of the meet by clocking 1:09.64 in the boys’ Group 3 100m breaststroke event.
Team manager Kelvin Chong said Malaysia could have hauled in more medals if not for several close finishes.
“We hope to get more medals on the final day of competition. Lai Wei Li is a strong gold medal prospects in the girls’ Group 1 800m freestyle. Erika and Christina will also be fighting for the girls’ Group 2 200m breaststroke gold medal.”
Christina, one of the golden hopes for Federal Territory in the Malaysia Games (Sukma) in Malacca next week, surged ahead of compatriot Erika Kong to win the girls’ Group 2 100m breaststroke race in 1:12.90.
It was a sweet victory for Christina, who erased Singaporean Sando Ho’s record of 1:13.87 set in 2003, to get the better of Sarawak-born Erika, who also dipped under the meet record in 1:13.27.
On Friday, Erika had pipped Christina to the gold medal in the 50m breaststroke race in a new record time.
Both the 15-year-olds have yet to win a Sukma gold medal and the stage is now set for them to slug it out in the breaststroke disciplines in Malacca.
Federal Territory can also look forward to another golden outing from 15-year-old Ian James Barr, who continued with his winning ways by grabbing his third gold medal in Manila.
The lanky Ian smashed another 18-year-old meet record en route to winning the boys’ Group 2 200m backstroke final in 2:09.12. His time erased the previous mark of 2:09.27 set by Nattapong Khetin of Thailand in 1992.
Ian had earlier bagged gold medals in the 200m individual medley and 100m backstroke on the opening day of competition.
Tang Chong Heng of Sarawak delivered the third gold medal for Malaysia on the second day of the meet by clocking 1:09.64 in the boys’ Group 3 100m breaststroke event.
Team manager Kelvin Chong said Malaysia could have hauled in more medals if not for several close finishes.
“We hope to get more medals on the final day of competition. Lai Wei Li is a strong gold medal prospects in the girls’ Group 1 800m freestyle. Erika and Christina will also be fighting for the girls’ Group 2 200m breaststroke gold medal.”
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