Swimming: Magnificent Kah Yan

Chin Mong Peng hugs her daughter Chan Kah Yan after her outstanding performance in the pool yesterday.
IT could well turn out to be Chan Kah Yan's Games as the Federal Territories swimmer achieved a hat-trick of gold medals and in the process set a record at the Hang Jebat Sports Complex Aquatic Centre in Alor Gajah yesterday.

Two years ago, Kah Yan, 18, could only manage one gold (4x200) and six silver medals. After starting the swimming programme by winning the women's 200m freestyle and silver in the 50m backstroke on Friday, the national swimmer won the women's 100m freestyle, 200m backstroke and the 200m individual medley yesterday. Kah Yan broke the Games record in the 100m freestyle by clocking 58.10 seconds, beating Sabah's Leong Chii Lin's mark of 58.14s set in Terengganu. Second was Low Xue Ting of Johor (59.16) while Heng Kor Jin of Sabah (1:00.66) was third. Kah Yan earlier won the 200m backstroke by clocking 2:24.87 to finish ahead of Amanda Pasaoa Lee of Selangor (2:28.76) and Cheng Karmen of Perak (2:30.91). Kah Yan proved her pedigree by capturing her third gold -- the 200m inividual medley -- clocking 2:24.94, as teammate Christin Loh came second (2:29.24) and Chris Tan of Sabah third (2:29.36). "I am used to swimming in many events and today (yesterday), I had only 15 minutes of warm-up after the 200m backstroke. "I am really happy to break the record and winning four gold medals so far.

I only had one gold and six silver in 2008," said Kah Yan. "I still have four more events and I hope I can win more gold and go for records. "I have been fully focused on my swimming since the SPM examinations last year and it has helped me to perform better. "My target now is to secure a place in the 4x100m and 4x200m squads for the New Delhi Asian Games." Kah Yan will be competing in the 800m freestyle, and three relays -- 4x100m, 4x200m freestyles and 4x100m medley -- in the remaining three days of competition. She is a good bet for the 800m freestyle but it will be a close tussle between FT and Sabah, led by Chui Lai Kwan, in the relays. FT's Ian James Bar ended his run of silver medals by cracking the Games record in the men's 200m individual medley to win the gold.

James Barr clocked 2:08.09 to eclipse Allen Ong's 10-year-old record of 2:08.17 set in Penang to secure gold. Foo Jian Beng of Selangor was on course to break his own Games record of 50.94 in the men's 100m freestyle in the first 50m but faded after the turn as he clocked 51.33 to win the gold.

James Chen of Penang took silver in 53.39 while Joshua Lee of FT secured bronze in 53.85. Chi Chia Khian of Kedah won the 50m butterfly when he clocked 26.40 and shocked favourite Joshua Lee of FT while national swimmer Marellyn Liew of Sabah won the gold in the women's 50m butterfly in 27.88. In diving, Tracie Vivian of Sarawak upstaged favourite Kam Ling Kar of Perak to win the women's 10-metre platform. Tracie scored 268.35, Ling Kar had 236.95 while Jasmine Lai of Perak was third with 225.05.