Young swimmers shine as Singapore clinch three more SEA Games golds in Cambodia

PHNOM PENH: It was two 19-year-olds and a 20-year-old who led the charge for Singapore at the Morodok Techo Aquatics Centre on Sunday (May 7) as the swim team clinched three gold medals at the 32nd SEA Games.

This brings Singapore’s total in the pool to seven, after four on Saturday.

Jonathan Tan, 20, got the gold rush underway as he clinched gold in the men’s 50m freestyle with a time of 21.95s. Tan beat defending champion and compatriot Teong Tzen Wei, who took silver (22.50s).

Earlier in the day, Tan had met the Olympics "A" cut after setting a national record in the event’s heats.

His time of 21.91s was also a new SEA Games record and personal best. The Olympics "A" qualifying time is 21.96s.

Then Gan Ching Hwee, 19, retained her title in the 200m freestyle (2:01.76) ahead of Thailand’s Kamonchanok Kwanmung.

Singapore’s Chan Zi Yi finished third with a new personal best of 2:02.94.

Letitia Sim would then win gold in the 200m individual medley with a time of 2:14.49, while teammate Quah Jing Wen took the bronze.

In the men’s 50m backstroke, Quah Zheng Wen could not hold on to his crown as Indonesia’s I Gede Siman Sudartawa won the gold in a time of 25.16s, while Philippines’ Jerard Jacinto clinched silver (25.56s).

Sudartawa set the Games record of 25.12s in 2019.

It was silver for debutant Nicholas Mahabir in the men’s 100m breaststroke as defending champion Phan Tham Bao of Vietnam clocked a new Games record of 1:00.97. Singapore’s Maximilian Ang took third.

The men's 4x200m freestyle relay team comprising Tan, Darren Chua, Glenn Lim and Ardi Zulhilmi Azman would clinch silver in the day's final event, as Vietnam defended their title.

Catch the 32nd SEA Games Cambodia 2023 live with three dedicated channels on mewatch .