Singapore's Teong Tzen Wei finishes 4th in 50m fly at 2022 World Swimming Championships

SINGAPORE: Singapore swimmer Teong Tzen Wei narrowly missed out on a medal at the 2022 FINA World Swimming Championships (25m) in Melbourne on Wednesday (Dec 14).

He finished fourth in the final of the men's 50m butterfly with a time of 22.01 seconds, equalling the Asian record he set a day earlier in the heats.

Brazil's Nicholas Santos claimed the gold in the event with a championship record time of 21.78 seconds while Switzerland's Noe Ponti took the silver with a time of 21.96 seconds.

Hungary's Szebasztian Szabo secured the bronze medal with a time of 21.98 seconds, finishing just 0.03 seconds ahead of Teong.

Teong's timing at the Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre on Tuesday surpassed the previous Asian record of 22.19 seconds, set by Japan's Takeshi Kawamoto at the 2020 Japan National Championships (25m).

He also broke his own national 50m butterfly short course record of 22.24 seconds, which he set at the Singapore National Swimming Championships in November 2021.

Teong's effort meant that he advanced to the semi-finals in Melbourne as the equal-fastest swimmer. He then progressed to the final as the seventh-fastest semi-finalist.

Singapore has never medalled at a short course world swimming championships.