SWIMMING: Kevin Carries On Regardless

Kevin Yeap (left) and Khoo Cai Lin with the medals they won in the Malaysian Open Championships at the Bukit Jalil Aquatics complex yesterday. Bernama pic

 KEVIN Yeap continued his fine form in the Malaysian Open when he improved his Olympic invitational qualifying time in the men's 1,500m freestyle event by eight seconds at the Bukit Jalil Aquatics complex yesterday.

Kevin Breaks Own Record En Route To 1,500m Gold

KUALA LUMPUR: Kevin Yeap Soon Choy continued to make big strides, improving on his own meet record by eight seconds in the 1,500m freestyle en route to bagging a second Malaysian Open swimming gold medal at the National Aquatic Centre in Bukit Jalil.

The 21-year-old Kevin, the only representative from Perak, completed the 30-lap freestyle race in 15:32.51 to smash his previous mark of 15:52.84 set last year.

Kevin Seconds Away From Second Olympic Invite

KUALA LUMPUR: Swimmer Kevin Yeap Soon Choy came so close to snatching a second Olympic invitational time for himself en route to becoming the first local male winner in the Malaysian Open at the National Aquatic Centre in Bukit Jalil yesterday.

The Indonesia SEA Games gold medallist splashed his way to the men’s 400m freestyle gold with a career best time of 3:54.55, which was just outside the Olympic invitational time of 3:54.13.

Vernon Lee of Sarawak took the silver with 4:00.15 while Sri Lankan Abeysinghe Matthew, who was fastest in the heats earlier, settled for bronze with 4:04.10.

Vernon Lee & Kevin Yeap

SWIMMING: Kevin's Olympic Dream Still Not Realised

KEVIN Yeap came agonisingly close to meeting the Olympic invitational time for the men's 400m freestyle event at the Malaysian Open Swimming Championships at the Bukit Jalil Aquatics complex yesterday.

Kevin broke the meet record with a time of three minutes 54.55 seconds to win the event ahead of second-placed Vernon Lee (4:00.15s) of Sarawak and Sri Lanka's Matthew Abeysinghe (4:04.15s).

The 22-year-old, who had set the meet record of 3:58.56s in the event last year, missed out on the Olympic invitational time of 3:54.13s.

Kevin said: "I am really happy to set a meet record here but a little disappointed in missing out on the (Olympic invitational) time".

Sabah Swimmer Lai Kwan Confident Of Making The London Olympics

KUALA LUMPUR: Sabah swimmer Chui Lai Kwan has not given up her Olympic dream despite walking out of the national team late last year.

She underlined her intention to better her Olympic invitation time for the women’s 50m freestyle by winning the 50m backstroke race in the Malaysian Open at the National Aquatic Centre in Bukit Jalil.

Lai Kwan was the third fastest qualifier from the heats but she stepped up the gas in the final and finished in a tie for the gold medal with Australia’s Jasmine Tong in 30.44.

It was not her personal best time but sufficient for Lai Kwan to look forward to the more important 50m freestyle race tomorrow.

Malaysian 1-2: Christina Loh (right) and Siow Yi Ting showing off their medals yesterday. Christina won the gold and Yi Ting the silver in the 50m breaststroke event. - SHAARI CHEMAT/THE STAR