Swimming: Cai Lin Checks In For World Meet

Arnaz M. Khairul arnaz@nstp.com.my

KHOO CAI LIN became the first Malaysian to qualify for the next World Championships after winning the women's 800m freestyle in record time at the Malaysian Open Swimming Championships in Bukit Jalil yesterday.

The Selangor swimmer clocked eight minute 49.04 seconds to better the previous meet record of 8:48.53s set in 2002 by China's Zheng Jing and qualified on merit for next year's World Championships in Shanghai. The win meant Cai Lin closed accounts in the Malaysian Open with a perfect sweep of distance freestyle events, having earlier won the 200m and 400m freestyle. The record time boosted Cai Lin's confidence as she prepares for the Asian Games and Commonwealth Games later this year. "I tried to beat the qualifying times (for the World Championships) in the 400m freestyle yesterday (Saturday) but failed.

So, I'm happy I managed to do it on the last day of competition," said Cai Lin, 21. "I'm mixing training and studies at the moment, but I'll put in more hours in training towards the middle of the year as I have to get ready for the Commonwealth games and Asian Games." In the men's section, Selangor's Foo Jian Beng completed the double of sprint events when he added the 50m freestyle victory to the 100m freestyle he won on Saturday. Jian Beng clocked 23.83s to beat Hong Kong's Nathaniel Lai to the board.

RESULTS -- Men -- 50m freestyle: 1 Foo Jian Beng (Sel) 23.83s, 2 Nathaniel Lai (HK) 24.32s, 3 Soroush Khajagi (Irn) 24.42s; 100m butterfly: 1 Rainer Ng (Sin) 57.39s, 2 Cheng Ka Chun (HK) 57.50s, 3 Kevin Lim (KL) 57.60s; 200m backstroke: 1 Rainer Ng (Sin) 2:06.88s, 2 Ian James Barr (KL) 2:07.47s, 3 Melvin Chua (KL) 2:08.29s; 4x100m medley: 1 Singapore 3:54.55s (meet record), 2 Hong Kong 3:55.07s, 3 Iran 4:01.38s. WOMEN -- 50m freestyle: 1 Chui Lai Kwan (Sab) 26.71s, 2 Chan Kah Yan (KL) 27.17s, 3 Khoo Cai Lin (Sel) 27.56s; 800m freestyle: 1 Khoo Cai Lin (Sel) 8:48.53s (meet rec), 2 Cheng Yuen Yue (HK) 9:27.98s, 3 Sandra Ho (HK) 9:28.90s; 100m butterfly: 1 Wong Yee Ching (HK) 1:03.91s, 2 Chan Ka Ka (HK) 1:04.91s, 3 Hii Siew Siew (Swk) 1:05.68s; 200m backstroke: 1 Shana Lim (Sin) 2:20.31s, 2 Andrea Wan (HK) 2:25.18s, 3 Chan Kah Yan (KL) 2:27.41s; 4x100m medley: 1 Hong Kong 4:24.52s (meet rec), 2 Kuala Lumpur 4:34.43s, 3 Sabah 4:37.05s.

Cai Lin Breaks Meet Record To Qualify For World Championships

By LIM TEIK HUAT

On form: Cai Lin on her way to breaking the 800m freestyle record at the Malaysian Open yesterday. — AZHAR MAHFOF / The Star

KUALA LUMPUR: Selangor’s Khoo Cai Lin capped a perfect end to her Malaysian Open campaign by becoming the first Malaysian swimmer to qualify on merit for the World Championships at the National Aquatic Centre in Bukit Jalil yesterday.

The Laos SEA Games gold medallist smashed the previous meet record of 8:49.04, held by China’s Zheng Jing since 2002, to win the 800m freestyle final in 8:48.53.

The 21-year-old Cai Lin breezed to the finish line by more than one body length ahead of nearest rival Cheng Yuen Yue of Hong Kong to dip inside next year’s World Championships qualifying mark of 8:48.70.

The World Championships, to be held in Shanghai in July next year, are the first to apply qualifying times on the individual entries.

It was her fourth gold medal of the meet and she undeniably stamped her mark as the best middle and long distance swimmer in the region.

Cai Lin had won the 200m and 400m freestyles and the 200m individual medley earlier.
But meeting the World Championships qualifying standards means more to her and show that she is on the right track towards the Commonwealth and Asian Games later this year.

“I tried to beat the qualifying times for the world meet in the 400m freestyle yesterday but could not,” she said.

“I’m happy I managed to do it on the last day of competition.

“I’m mixing training and studies at the moment and I’m still taking things easy.

“But I will put in more hours towards the middle half of the year as I have to get ready for the Commonwealth and Asian Games,” added Cai Lin, who has already qualified on merit for the New Delhi Commonwealth Games in October and Guangzhou Asiad in November.

There was no joy, however, for Sabah swimmer Marellyn Liew on the final day of competition.
Her bid for a double in the butterfly discipline sank after she was disqualified for a false start in the 100m distance.

Marellyn was the first to touch home in 1:03.56 but, to her dismay, it was second-placed Wong Yee Ching of Hong Kong (1:03.91), who was declared the winner.

Other Malaysian winners yesterday were Foo Jian Beng and Chui Lai Kwan, who won the men’s and women’s 50m freestyle races respectively.

Jian Beng splashed to victory for Selangor in 23.83, outside his national mark of 23.45 set in the Terengganu Sukma in 2008, while Lai Kwan earned the gold for Sabah in 26.71.

Marellyn Training Under Keng Liat In Chase For Another Sukma Success

By LIM TEIK HUAT

Winners: Khoo Cai Lin and Kevin Yeap Soon Choy showing the 400m freestyle medal they won at the Malaysian Open swimming championship in Bukit Jalil yesterday.

KUALA LUMPUR: Sabah-born swimmer Marellyn Liew is turning to former Asian Games gold medallist Lim Keng Liat for guidance as she bids to achieve a fabulous repeat of the Malaysia Games (Sukma) achievements in Tereng–ganu two years ago.
Marellyn was previously based in Bukit Jalil but returned to Kota Kinabalu in February to train under Keng Liat, who is currently preparing the Sabah swimmers for the upcoming Sukma in Malacca from June 10-19.

And the aspiring beautician showed she is in good shape heading towards what is a final Sukma outing by winning the women’s 50m butterfly title in the Malaysian Open swimming championships at the National Aquatic Centre in Bukit Jalil yesterday.

Marellyn, who turns 21 next month, surged to the front from the start and maintained her position to clock a winning time of 27.81.

Marellyn’s effort was not too far off her national mark of 27.45 set at the same meet two years ago.

There was a bonus for her when she anchored the Sabah quartet, also comprising of Chui Lai Kwan, Trini Wan and Evon Heng, to win the 4x100m freestyle in a new meet record time of 3:59.34.

Sabah also held the previous record of 4:00.62 set last year.

Marellyn was satisfied with her efforts as she came in without any serious preparation for it.
“My coach (Alex) told me to concentrate on Sukma as it’s just around the corner and he wants me to be in peak form.

“I took a few days rest before coming here and this is just a warm-up meet. I have always looked forward to competing in Sukma as I enjoyed the fun and I will miss it as this will be my last.

“I had a very memorable outing in Terengganu and I hope to go through it again,” said Marellyn, who is pursuing a higher diploma course in Sabah.

Marellyn basked in the high of winning the Best Sportsgirl award at the Terengganu Sukma after setting two national records.

She is, however, confined to doing only two individual events in Sukma due to her
status as a SEA Games silver medal winning athlete in Laos last year.

Marellyn will bid to win a double when she races the 100m butterfly today.

Selangor’s Foo Jian Beng, the Best Sportsboy at the Terengganu Sukma, capped his first Malaysian Open win by taking the 50m butterfly in 25.97.

Kevin Yeap secured a double gold for Perak in winning the men’s 400m freestyle in 4:00.31. Kevin had won the 1,500m freestyle on Friday.

Khoo Cai Lin claimed her third gold medal at the meet when she came out tops in the women’s 400m freestyle in 4:20.15.

Singapore’s Shana Lim bagged her second meet record in winning the women’s 100m backstroke final yesterday. Shana posted 1:04.62 to erase the previous record of 1:05.73 set by Negri Sembilan’s Lew Yih Wey in 2008.

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.

Kevin tampil hebat ceriakan hari suram

KEVIN Yeap memecahkan rekod kejohanan dalam acara 1,500m gaya bebas lelaki pada Kejohanan Renang Terbuka Malaysia semalam

SEMALAM masuk hari kedua Kejohanan Renang Terbuka Malaysia 2010 di Pusat Akuatik, Bukit Jalil, lapor SAHLIZAH MOHAMED.

Namun, suasana terus suram tanpa ada pencapaian luar biasa yang boleh dibanggakan.

Mungkin tidak keterlaluan jika dikatakan, suasan muram itu diserikan dengan kehebatan perenang Perak, Kevin Yeap yang tampil dengan satu rekod baru kejohanan dalam acara 1,500 meter gaya bebas lelaki.

Dia mencatatkan kepantasan 15:55.64s untuk memadamkan rekod lama, 16:02.02s.

"Saya sudah menjangka akan menang dalam acara ini dan saya sungguh gembira dengan pencapaian tersebut.

"Namun, saya masih belum bersedia untuk memecahkan rekod kebangsaan. Saya masih perlukan masa untuk merealisasikannya impian ini," kata perenang berusia 21 tahun itu.

Selepas ini, dia meletakkan sasaran memburu kejayaan pada Sukan Malaysia (Sukma) XIII untuk acara 400 dan 1,500 meter.

Katanya, pada Sukma 2004, dia hanya berjaya meraih pingat gangsa untuk kedua-dua acara tersebut.

Pada temasya 2006 dan 2008, dia berjaya mendominasi kedua- dua acara tersebut dengan meraih pingat emas.

"Ini adalah Sukma saya yang terakhir dan saya berharap agar kejayaan bakal menjadi milik saya.

Sementara itu, dalam saingan wanita, perenang kebangsaan, Khoo Cai Lin meraih dua pingat emas dalam acara 200m rampaian dan gaya bebas wanita.

Turut melakar nama sebagai pemenang pingat emas semalam ialah Christina Loh dari Kuala Lumpur melalui acara 50 meter kuak dada wanita.

Splashing With The Best

KAMARUZAMAN AHMAD

WEN TENG: The 100m breaststroke is her favourite event

KUALA LUMPUR: Eight national backup swimmers — three men and five women — will vie for honours in the 53rd Malaysian Open Swimming championship at Bukit Jalil Aquatic Centre. The meet began yesterday.

Swimmers Boey Wen Teng, Chelsea Chong , Illi Gan Abdul Rahman, Evon Heng, Sia Loong Er (women), Chi Chia Kian, Andrew Loh and Muhd Ariff Rashid (men) have their hands full.

They will have the chance to "rub" shoulders with the big names in Malaysia and from abroad .

According to Amateur Swimming Union of Malaysia (Asum) secretary Edwin Chong swimmers from Hong Kong, Singapore and Iran are also competing.

“In addition, national swimmers are preparing for the Asian and Commonwealth Games. To date Daniel Bego, Khoo Cai Lin and Seow Yi Ting have qualified.

“It is also a platform for State coaches to gauge the performances of their proteges with the Malacca Sukma Games in mind next month.”

Pahang’s 14-year old Boey Wen Teng is very eager to make a "splash" as she makes her debut.
She is competing in the 50m and 100m breaststroke with the latter being her favourite event.
“I was selected to compete in 2008 but had to withdraw at the last moment because of chicken pox. Last year I failed to meet the qualifying time and was ousted from the team.

“My target is at least a silver as I will be up against highly- rated and fancied opponents, Christine Loh and Erika Kong,” lamented Wan Teng.

Another hopeful is 13-year-old Chelsea Chong who wants to gain experience rather than make an impact in the championship.

She created "waves" last year by netting seven gold and five silver medals in the MSSM swimming championship.

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.