Hopes Sink In Pool As Top Swimmer Pulls Out Due To Injury

PETALING JAYA: Swimmer Daniel Bego has pulled out of the SEA Games, denting Malaysia’s chances of a repeat nine-gold haul from the swimming pool.

Daniel, who delivered five gold medals in Laos two years ago and was named the Best Sportsman of the Games, is not travelling with the swimming team to Palembang today.

Daniel’s doctor feels that his shoulders are not ready for the strains of competition.

The Indonesia Games will thus not see the 2009 Best Sportsman and Sportswoman in action as Singapore swimmer Quah Ting Wen has also opted out in order to finish her studies in the United States.

No golden splash: Daniel Bego feels that his shoulders are not ready for the strains of competition.

Daniel, 22, had both his shoulders operated on six months ago to correct a long-standing bone spur problem.

(A bone spur is a growth which forms on normal bone and can be extremely painful when it comes into contact with soft tissues or ligaments.)

Daniel returned to training a few weeks ago and there was hope that he would be able to boost the swimming team’s prospects.

Amateur Swimming Union of Malaysia (Asum) secretary Edwin Chong said Daniel had seen his specialist for a final opinion yesterday.

“He was told that one of his shoulders had not healed properly and he ran the risk of getting injured again if he competed in the SEA Games.

“If there is any complication it would seriously harm his chances of qualifying for the London Olympics next year,” said Edwin.

Daniel’s absence will not only weaken Malaysia’s prospects of striking gold in the butterfly but also the men’s relay 4x100 medley and 4x200m freestyle events.

Foo Jian Beng, who has been preparing in the US for the Games, is likely to swim the butterfly leg in the medley as he is the second fastest after Daniel.

In Laos, Daniel smashed four Games records en route to gold in the 100m, 200m and 400m freestyle and 100m butterfly. He just missed out on rewriting the Games record in the 200m butterfly as fatigue set in on the last day of competition.

With Daniel out, Malaysia will pin their hopes on Siow Yi Ting and Christina Loh to make a clean sweep of all three golds in the women’s breaststroke.

Jian Beng is also a darkhorse in the short sprint freestyle and butterfly events while Khoo Cai Lin will be looking to fend off her rivals for a successful defence of the 400m freestyle.

Aquatics contributed the most number of gold medals – 15 – in Laos with the remaining six coming from the divers.