Kah Yan Tutup Tirai Dengan Tujuh Emas

Chan Kah Yan ceria mempamerkan tujuh pingat emas dan dua perak yang dimenanginya dalam pelbagai acara renang pada Sukan Malaysia di Pusat Akuatik Hang Jebat, Krubong, semalam.

MELAKA - Perenang kebangsaan, Chan Kah Yan menutup tirai kejohanan renang Sukan Malaysia (Sukma) XIII dengan cemerlang selepas berjaya mengutip emas ketujuhnya di temasya ini dengan meraih dua lagi emas di Pusat Akuatik Hang Jebat, di sini, semalam.

Layak untuk bergelar ratu renang, Kah Yan yang mewakili Wilayah Persekutuan melengkapkan koleksi pingat emasnya pada hari terakhir kejohanan itu menerusi acara 100m kuak lentang individu wanita dan 4x100m rampaian berganti wanita.

Lebih manis, kejayaan itu turut membuatkan perenang berusia 18 tahun itu muncul sebagai atlet wanita yang memungut emas tertinggi berserta dua perak pada Sukma edisi ke-13 setakat ini.

Kah Yan sebelum ini meraih emas menerusi acara 100m gaya bebas, 200m gaya bebas, 200m kuak lentang, 200m rampaian individu, 800m gaya bebas daripada 11 acara yang disertainya.

Menurut perenang yang hanya meraih satu emas dan enam perak pada Sukma Terengganu 2008, dia amat terkejut dengan pencapaiannya itu selain gembira dapat memperbaiki prestasi dirinya.

''Ini memang satu kejutan yang besar buat saya dan saya amat gembira selepas mampu membuat kemunculan semula yang baik selepas memberi tumpuan terhadap peperiksaan SPM (Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia) tahun lalu," katanya.

Dia yang mencatat masa 1:05.83s untuk meraih emas dalam acara 100m kuak lentang meninggalkan Loo Hei Di dari Selangor (1:08.30s) yang membawa pulang perak ketika Cheng Karmen dari Perak pula sekadar berpuas hati dengan gangsa (1:09.31s).

Sementara itu, perenang elit kebangsaan dari Perak, Kevin Yeap Soon menyaksikan kehebatannya selepas berjaya meraih emas dalam acara 1500m gaya bebas individu lelaki (15:59.08s) sekali gus memecahkan rekodnya sendiri (16:07.71s) di Sukma Terengganu dua tahun lalu.

Di samping itu, seorang lagi perenang elit kebangsaan Ian James Barr dari Wilayah Persekutuan mengungguli acara 100m kuak lentang individu lelaki untuk merangkul emas dengan catatan masa 59.55s.

Ian sekali lagi berjaya mengutip emas keduanya semalam menerusi acara 4X100m rampaian berganti lelaki hasil gandingan mantap kuartet yang turut dibarisi Melvin Chua, Kevin Lim dan Joshua Lee dengan merakamkan masa 3:58.72s.

Dalam acara 50m gaya bebas individu wanita pula, Chui Lai Kwan (Sabah) mencatatkan masa 26.56s untuk meraih emas, manakala Foo Jian Beng (Selangor) mengakhiri saingan 50m gaya bebas individu lelaki dengan mencatat 23.68s bagi tempat pertama.

Kevin Breaks Games Record To Win 400m Freestyle Gold

NATIONAL swimmer Kevin Yeap Soon Choy picked up Perak’s first gold medal in swimming and smashed the Sukma record in the men’s 400m freestyle at the Hang Jebat Aquatic Centre yesterday.

The 21-year-old, a silver medallist at the Laos SEA Games last year, clocked 4:02.11 to erase the meet record of 4:02.82 set by Sarawakian Dieung Manggan in 2002 in Kota Kinabalu.

Sarawak’s Vernon Lee won the silver in 4:08.35 and Joshua Lee Leam Yoong of the Federal Territories took bronze in 4:11.88.

“I could have done better but I was not feeling too good,” said Kevin, who is also the favourite to pick up the gold in the 1,500m freestyle today.

At the Malaysian Open last month, Kevin won a double for Perak – winning both the 400m and 1,500m freestyle races. He has also won both the two events in Sukma since the 2006 edition in Alor Setar.

The Federal Territories men’s 4x200m freestyle team of Ian James Barr, Kevin Lim Kar Meng, Melvin Chua Bao Quan and Joshu Lee Leam Yoong set the second meet record of the day. They won the gold in 7:54.20, erasing the old mark of 7:57.81 set by Sarawak in 2008.

Sarawak picked up the silver in 8:04.22 while Sabah took the bronze in 8:12.46.

With one day more of competition to go, FT lead the medal standings in swimming with a haul of 13-12-6 ahead of Sabah (7-4-8) and Sarawak (4-5-3).

In diving, Perak topped the standings on 2-2-2 followed by Sarawak (2-1-2) and Penang (2-1-0).

SUKMA: Kevin Yeap Catat Rekod Baru Renang 400m Gaya Bebas

Kevin Yeap, Perenang Dari Perak Catat Rekod Kejohanan 400m Gaya Bebas SUKMA. Foto: Dusa Abas

MELAKA, 15 Jun (Bernama) -- Perenang jarak jauh kebangsaan Kevin Yeap merangkul pingat emas dan mencatatkan rekod baru Sukan Malaysia (SUKMA) dalam acara 400m gaya bebas lelaki di Pusat Akuatik Hang Jebat di sini Selasa.

Perenang dari Perak itu yang berpusat di Bukit Jalil dan akan genap usia 21 tahun Ogos ini, mencatatkan 4 minit 2.11 saat bagi memadamkan rekod lama 4:02.82s yang dilakukan oleh peserta Sarawak, Dieung Manggan semasa SUKMA Sabah lapan tahun lepas.

Wakil Sarawak Vernon Lee terpaksa berpuas hati di tempat kedua dengan catatan 4:08.35s dan gangsa diraih oleh Joshua Lee dari Wilayah Persekutuan dengan masa 4:11.88s.

"Sebenarnya, memang sasaran saya untuk memecahkan rekod dalam acara ini. Catatan terbaik saya ialah 4 minit dan saya cuba mencatatkan masa yang lebih rendah malangnya saya gagal berbuat demikian. Namun begitu, saya gembira dapat memecahkan rekod di sini," kata Kevin.

Kevin berkata beliau mencatatkan masa terbaiknya 4:00.31s bulan lepas semasa Kejohanan Renang Terbuka Malaysia kali ke-53 di Pusat Akuatik Nasional di Bukit Jalil.

"Saya akan cuba memecah rekod saya sendiri dalam acara 1,500m gaya bebas iaitu acara kegemaran saya esok," kata Kevin, yang berharap untuk menjadi perenang pertama memenangi emas berganda dalam acara 400m dan 1,500m gaya bebas dalam SUKMA tiga kali berturut-turut.

Katanya ketika muncul buat kali pertama dalam Sukma Negeri Sembilan pada 2004, beliau hanya berjaya memenangi pingat gangsa dalam kedua-dua acara.

Selain Kevin, kuartet dari Wilayah Persekutuan yang beraksi dalam acara 4x200m gaya bebas lelaki berganti-ganti mencuri tumpuan apabila mereka turut mencatatkan rekod baru kejohanan.

Kuartet itu terdiri daripada Ian James Barr, Kevin Lim, Melvin Chua dan Joshua Lee mencatatkan 7:54.20s bagi memadamkan rekod sebelum ini 7:57.81s yang dilakukan dua tahun lepas oleh perenang dari Sarawak.

-- BERNAMA

Two swimmers And Two Divers Selected For Youth Olympics

KUALA LUMPUR, Tuesday 8 June 2010 (Bernama) -- The Amateur Swimming Union of Malaysia (ASUM) has selected two swimmers and two divers to represent the country at the 2010 Youth Olympics in Singapore from 14 to 26 August.

ASUM secretary Edwin Chong said Ooi Tze Liang and Pandelela Rinong would compete in women's diving events while Kevin Lim and Lai Wei Li would spearhead the country's challenge in swimming events.

"Since this is the first time we are taking part in the Youth Olympics, it is difficult to set a target. However,the ASUM hopes are on FINA World Cup bronze medal winner Pandelela," Edwin told Bernama here today.

Pandelela created history at the FINA World Championships in Rome last year in the 10m platform synchronized event, partnering Leong Mun Yee to bag the bronze for Malaysia's first-ever medal in world championships.

Ooi won a silver medal in the 3m springboard synchronized diving at the Asian Age Group championships in Tokyo last year while Kevin was part of the quartet comprising Foo Jian Beng, Daniel Bego, Kevin Yeap, who won a bronze medal in the Laos SEA Games in December last year.

Lai is the winner of a gold medal in the women's 800m freestyle event at the South-East Asian Age Group Championships at the National Aquatic Centre in Bukit Jalil last year.

Edwin said all four were selected based on their performances and rankings in FINA.

MySinchew 2010-06-08

Ian Completes Clean Sweep Of Backstroke Events In Manila

PETALING JAYA: Fifteen-year-old Ian James Barr (pic) put himself in a prime position to challenge for a first-ever Sukma (Malaysia Games) swimming gold medal after completing a clean sweep of the backstroke disciplines on the last day of the South-East Asia (SEA) age-group championships in Manila yesterday.

The lanky youngster tapped on his reach advantage to touch home in 28.16 to win the boys’ Group 2 50m backstroke final to collect his fourth gold medal of the meet.

The six-footer had won the 100m and 200m backstroke races apart from claiming another gold in the 200m individual medley earlier. All three gold medals came with new record marks and his performances have marked him out as a strong contender when the Sukma swimming competition starts in Malacca next week.

Ian has yet to claim a Sukma medal but having improved by leaps and bounds since the last Sukma in Terengganu two years ago, he will surely be out to make an assault in Malacca.

Ian, who was sent to the Laos SEA Games for exposure last year, dipped under the one-minute barrier for the second time in winning the 100m backstroke three days ago and Kuala Lumpur can count on him to become their first men’s backstroke gold medallist in Sukma. Sarawak can also look to Erika Kong as one of their golden hopes in the pool after the 15-year-old claimed her second gold medal in the age-group meet in Manila.

Erika won the girls’ Group 2 200m breaststroke event in 2:37.30 to return to winning ways after losing the 100m race to fellow Malaysian Christina Loh the previous day.

Erika had started on a perfect note by setting a new meet record en route to winning the 50m breaststroke final on the first day of competition.

Malaysia also secured three silvers and two bronzes on the last day of competition.

The three silvers came from Tan Gin Yu (boys’ Group 2 200m butterfly), Tan Chong Heng (boys’ Group 3 200m breaststroke) and Kevin Lim (boys’ Group 1 200m butterfly).

The bronze medallists were Lai Wei Li (girls’ Group 1 800m freestyle) and Hii Siew Siew (girls’ Group 1 200m butterfly). Malaysia thus ended with a total medals tally of 10-7-3 in this year’s edition.

Perhaps disappointing in a way was the failure to win a single gold medal in Group 1 and it may be due to the swimmers holding back due to the proximity of Sukma next week.

Sabah swimming coach Lim Keng Liat, who is in charge of Wei Li, said the Sukma is the bigger priority for their swimmers.

“It is understandable as they are supposed to peak in Sukma and the SEA age-group is for them to warm up.

“Wei Li could have a chance to win the middle and long-distance races in Sukma but is only confined to two individual events because she came back with a SEA Games medal last year.

“She is thus making sure that she doesn’t slip up in the two individual events she is focusing on,” he said.

Perak swimmer Kevin Betters Own Meet Record In Malaysian Open

By LIM TEIK HUAT

Long-distance specialist: Perak’s Kevin Yeap en route to winning the men’s 1,500m freestyle at the Malaysian Open on Friday. — MOHD SAHAR MISNI / The Star

KUALA LUMPUR: Perak long-distance swimmer Kevin Yeap primed up for a double golden assault at next month’s Malaysia Games (Sukma) in Malacca with a record-breaking effort in the Malaysian Open swimming championships at the National Aquatic Centre in Bukit Jalil yesterday.

The Bukit Jalil-based swimmer, who will turn 21 in August, bettered his own meet record en route to winning the men’s 1,500m freestyle well ahead of Iran’s Saman Salari.
Kevin finished the 30-lap race in 15:55.64 to erase his previous record of 16:02.02 set two years ago.

It was not his fastest effort, though, as he had clocked 15:51.80 en route to taking the silver medal at the Laos SEA Games in December.

Still, it was good enough for him to emerge as the only record breaker of the day and Kevin himself was satisfied to be in good shape as he gears up for the Sukma from June 10-19.
Kevin is hoping to be the first swimmer to win double gold medals in the 400m and 1,500m freestyle for the third consecutive Sukma.

“I will be out to retain my 400m and 1,500m freestyle gold medals.

“Hopefully, I can pull it off with new records as this will be my last Sukma,” said Kevin, who will be making his fourth appearance at the biennial Games.

“I did not go all out as the priority is to peak at Sukma.”

Kevin will bid to pick up his second gold in the Malaysian Open when he competes in the 400m freestyle today.

Laos Games gold medallist Khoo Cai Lin breezed to victory in the women’s 200m individual medley and 200m freestyle races.

She posted 2:23.07 to finish ahead of Hong Kong’s Wong Yee Ching (2:25.11) and Sarah Ho (2:26.36) in the 200m individual medley.

The Selangor-born Cai Lin then won the 200m freestyle in 2:04.62, ahead of Kuala Lumpur’s Chan Kah Yan (2:08.96) and Hong Kong’s Cheng Yuen Yee (2:10.21).

Fifteen-year-old Christina Loh, representing Kuala Lumpur, claimed her first gold medal in the Malaysian Open when she clocked 34.28 in the women’s 50m breaststroke.

It was outside her national record of 33.42 set in March but enough to put her in front of Hong Kong’s Li Cheng (35.20) and Pahang’s Boey Wen Teng (35.81).

Kuala Lumpur had another winner in Melvin Chua, who won the men’s 200m individual medley in 2:10.12, pipping team-mate Ian James Barr (2:11.01).

MEN
50m breaststroke: 1. Fu Chun Pong (Hkg) 29.79, 2. Kwok Sum (Hkg) 30.18, 3. Joel Tan (Sin) 30.28.
200m individual medley: 1. Melvin Chua (Kul) 2:10.12, 2. Ian James Barr (Kul) 2:11.01, 3. Cheng Ka Chun (Hkg) 2:15.41.
200m freestyle: 1. Rainer Ng (Sin) 1:55.31, 2. Kevin Lim (Kul) 1:56.53, 3. Mattias Ng (Sin) 1:59.64.
1,500m freestyle: 1. Kevin Yeap (Prk) 15:55.64 meet rec, 2. Saman Salari (Iri) 16:29.30, 3. Keith Sin (Hkg) 17:05.76.
4x200m freestyle: 1. Hong Kong 8:00.81, 2. Iran 8:08.35, 3. Kuala Lumpur 8:12.43.

WOMEN

50m breaststroke: 1. Christina Loh (Kul) 34.28, 2. Li Cheng (Hkg) 35.20, 3. Boey Wen Teng (Pah) 35.81.
200m individual medley: 1. Khoo Cai Lin (Sel) 2:23.07, 2. Wong Yee Ching (Hkg) 2:25.11, 3. Sarah Ho (Hkg) 2:26.36.
200m freestyle: 1. Khoo Cai Lin (Sel) 2:04.62, 2. Chan Kah Yan (Kul) 2:08.96, 3. Cheng Yuen Yee (Hkg) 2:10.21.
4x200m freestyle: 1. Hong Kong 8:50.33, 2. Sabah 8:58.86, 3. Kuala Lumpur 9:18.43.

Swimming: Kevin Comes From Behind To Bag Gold

Arnaz M. Khairul arnaz@nstp.com.my

KEVIN Lim prepared for an all-out assault on the Malaysia Games next month by delivering his first gold medal in the Malaysian Open Swimming Championships at the National Aquatics Complex in Bukit Jalil yesterday.

Having quit the national squad a month ago, Kevin came from behind to bag the 200m butterfly gold medal ahead of top Singaporean Rainer Ng and also booked his place as the only male swimmer representing the country in the Youth Olympics in Singapore in August. Kevin's strong final 100m in the event saw him deliver a two minutes 06.13s time, to deny Ng his second gold medal of the day after winning the 50m backstroke earlier."I went back to train with the Federal Territories squad since last month because of my studies at Inti College in Subang Jaya," said Kevin. "I was not expecting to produce this time as I was supposed to taper here.
My goal is to do well in the Malaysia Games.

I won gold in the 200m butterfly and took another bronze in the 1,500m freestyle last time out and I want to better that this time." In the women's section, Sabah's national swimmer Chui Lai Kwan bagged the women's 100m freestyle gold medal in 58.27s, which was some way off her own national record of 57.59s set at the Laos Sea Games last year

RESULTS: Men-- 50m backstroke: 1 Rainer Ng (Sin) 27.26s, 2 Jamal Chavoshi (Irn) 27.74s, 3 Lo Wai Man (Hkg) 27.92s, 100m freestyle: 1 Foo Jian Beng 52.54s, 2 Khajagi Soroushi (Irn) 54.18s, 3 Nathaniel Lai (Hkg) 54.35s, 100m breast stroke: 1 Rainbow Ip (Hkg) 1:13.68s, 2 Christina Loh (KL) 1:14.03s, 3 Sarah Ho (Hkg) 1:18.23s, 200m butterfly: 1 Kevin Lim (KL) 2:06.13s, 2 Rainer Ng (Sin) 2:06.84s, 3 Cheng Ka Chun (Hkg) 2:09.15s, 400m individual medley: 1 Ahmad Reza Jalali (Irn) 4:42.02s, 2 Ian James Barr (KL) 4:43.06s, 3 Keith Sin (Hkg) 4:48.49s; Women -- 50m backstroke: 1 Shana Lim (Sin) 29.72s (meet rec), 2 Vivian Lai (Hkg) 31.09s, 3 Chui Lai Kwan (Sab) 31.12s, 100m freestyle: 1 Chui Lai Kwan (Sab) 58.27s, 2 Shana Lim (Sin) 58.74s, 3 Khoo Cai Lin (Sel) 59.19s, 100m breaststroke: 1 Yap See Tuan (Pah) 1:05.34s, 2 Fu Chun Pong (Hkg) 1:05.76s, 3 Mark Tan (Sin) 1:06.38s, 200m butterfly: 1 Wong Yee Ching (Hkg) 2:19.78s, 2 Hii Siew Siew (Swk) 2:24.11s, 3 Chan Ka Ya (Hkg) 2:28.61s, 400m individual medley: 1 Sarah Ho (Hkg) 5:14.12s, 2 Gladys Ho (Hkg) 5:18.72s, 3 Mak Ai Sin (KL) 5:44.31s.

Kevin Tunes Up For Sukma With Gold Medal in 200m Butterfly

By Lim Teik Huat

Silver finish: Ian James Barr splashing his way to second place in the 400m individual medley of the Malaysian Open swimming championships in Bukit Jalil yesterday. — GLENN GUAN / The Star


KUALA LUMPUR: Youngster Kevin Lim sent a timely warning to his rivals ahead of the Sukma (Malaysia Games) next month by bagging his first gold in the Malaysian Open swimming championships at the National Aquatic Centre in Bukit Jalil yesterday.

The 17-year-old quit the full-time national training programme more than a month ago but still showed that he had the legs for the Sukma campaign by winning the 200m butterfly event from behind.

Kevin took over the lead with 100m to go and continued to push on to grab the gold medal in 2:06.13, ahead of Singapore national swimmer Rainer Ng (2:06.84). Hong Kong’s Cheng Ka Chun was third in 2:09.15.

Rainer had earlier won the gold medal in the 50m backstroke event.

Kevin is also the only male swimmer to have qualified for the inaugural Youth Olympic Games in Singapore in August. Malaysia’s second representative in the Youth Olympics, Sabah’s Lai Wei Li is skipping this week’s meet.

But as far as Kevin is concerned, it’s all about tuning up nicely for the Sukma in Malacca from June 10-19, as he is determined to defend his 200m butterfly gold medal for Kuala Lumpur.
“I have been training with the Kuala Lumpur squad since last month because of my studies at Inti College in Subang Jaya,” said Kevin.

“I did not expect to produce this time as I was supposed to taper off here.
“My goal is to do well in the Malacca Sukma. I won gold in the 200m butterfly and bronze in the 1,500m freestyle.

“I hope to make it a double win in Malacca,” added Kevin, who is restricted to two individual events due to having competed at the Laos SEA Games last December and earning a bronze in the process.

Kevin will swim in the 200m and 400m freestyle at the Youth Olympics.

Other Malaysian swimmers who mounted the top of the podium yesterday were Chui Lai Kwan, Foo Jian Beng and Yap See Tuan.

Lai Kwan, the 2007 Korat SEA Games gold medallist, bagged the women’s 100m freestyle gold medal for Sabah in 58.27, which was outside her national record of 57.59 set at the Laos SEA Games last year.

Jian Beng claimed a gold for Selangor in winning the men’s 100m freestyle in 54.13.
See Tuan came out tops for Pahang in his pet 100m breaststroke race. He came out tops in 1:05.34, ahead of Hong Kong’s Fu Chun Pong (1:05.76).

Singapore’s Shana Lim sank the only meet record en route to winning the 50m backstroke in 29.72.

Shana dipped under Lai Kwan’s previous record of 30.77 when she clocked 30.57 in the morning heats before further improving on it in the final.

Laos SEA Games five-gold medallist Daniel Bego was conspicuous by his absence from the Malaysian Open this year because he had to prepare for the A-level exams next month.
Swimmers from Singapore, Hong Kong and Iran are also competing in the four-day meet.

Cai Lin Smashes Nurul Huda's Longest-Standing National Record