The Malay Mail : Keith Lim cracks Sukma 50m freestyle record twice

IPOH, Sept 21 — National swimmer, Keith Lim of Federal Territories was in top form today at the Tuanku Zara Aquatic Centre pool when he rewrote the Malaysia Games (Sukma) 50 metre freestyle record twice.

In the heats, this morning, Keith clocked the fastest time of 23.44 seconds to erase the 10-year-old record of 23.45s set by Selangor’s Foo Jian Beng in the 2008 edition in Terengganu.

In the final, Keith shattered his own record with a time of 23.19s and won the gold medal in style.

“This is my last Sukma appearance... I was hoping to break the national record I created but it did not materialise,” he told Bernama after the race.

The silver medal went to Penang swimmer Lim Yin Chuen who clocked 23.80s while the bronze was won by Selangor’s Lim Zi Win in 24.06s.

The national record of 23.10s was set by Keith in June at the Mare Nostrum Monte Carlo, Monaco to rewrite the record of 23.17s set by Alwyn Tan in 2015.

In all, Keith collected four gold medals in this Sukma including the 100m freestyle, 4x100m medley relay and 4x200m medley relay.

After this, Keith who is a finance and investment student at University College Sedaya International (UCSI) will be participating in the Asean University Games in Myanmar in December. — Bernama

The Star : Wei Tze smashes Games record en route to breaststroke gold

FOONG Wei Tze bowed out of the Malaysia Games (Sukma) stage in stylish fashion, breaking the Games record en route to delivering a precious gold for Melaka on the third day of the swimming competition at the Tuanku Zara Aquatic Centre.

The 20-year-old, who represented the country at the Asian Games in Indonesia last month, touched home first in 28.86 in the boys’ 50m breaststroke final yesterday to shatter the previous Sukma record of 29.31 set by Selangor’s Shaun Yap in Kuching two years ago.

Ng Jing Fu, who won the 100m breaststroke race on Monday, had to be content with silver this time after finishing in 29.64 while Adam Afif Faizal of the Federal Territories took bronze in 30.17.

It was a perfect end for Wei Tze after claiming a silver in the 200m freestyle on Monday.

“I swam well in the morning heats and I knew I had an 80 per cent chance of getting a new record and winning my first gold.

“I’m happy to contribute a gold to Melaka as I can’t swim in the next Games. I did what I could and I hope the next batch of swimmers will continue to do well for Melaka,” he said.

Wei Tze’s previous best outing in Sukma was winning a bronze in the 50m breaststroke in Kuching.

Melaka have not won a swimming gold in Sukma for the last 18 years but now they have two to show from Wei Tze and also Goh Chia Tong in the girls’ 200m backstroke.

Tia’a Faang Der continued to impress for Johor by breaking another Games record, this time in the boys’ 200m butterfly. He posted 2:02.30 to smash his own record of 2:02.93 set in Kuching in 2016.

National long distance swimmer Angela Chieng delivered two golds for Sarawak in the girls’ 800m freestyle (9:10.65) and 200m butterfly (2:21.63).

Alicia Li Ann, only 14, completed a double for Johor by winning the 50m breaststroke race in 33.90.

Alicia won the 100m breaststroke event on Monday.

FT and Selangor shared the top honours by winning the respective boys’ and girls’ 4x100m freestyle relays


Read more at https://www.thestar.com.my/sport/swimming/2018/09/20/a-golden-adieu-wei-tze-smashes-games-record-en-route-to-breaststroke-gold/#XV4iCYo7riSSOm9M.99

The Star : Silver on his debut isn’t bad at all for FT’s Steve

IT was not gold but Federal Territories swimmer Steve Khiew was a pleased boy.

The 15-year-old made his Malaysia Games (Sukma) debut by taking silver behind Jordan Yip of Selangor in the boys’ 50m backstroke final at the Tuanku Zara Aquatic Center last night.

Steve clocked 27.26 with Jordan sprinting to gold for Selangor in 27.04 while Sarawak’s Hii Puong Wei claimed bronze with 27.56.

Steve said winning a silver was unexpected although he was the fastest qualifier in the morning heats.

“I did not expect a silver in my first event as I’m not so good in the sprint events. Jordan is three years older than me and he has won a few gold medals at the last Sukma in Kuching two years ago, so it is not surprising for him to win.

“I’m happy with this medal as I posted my personal best,” said Steve, whose previous personal best was 27.60.

The strong swim will boost Steve’s confidence ahead of the 100m and 200m distance races next.


Read more at https://www.thestar.com.my/sport/swimming/2018/09/18/silver-on-his-debut-isnt-bad-at-all-for-fts-steve/#3p57RAjP6fIx7I5M.99

The Star : FT swimmers out to make big splash in debuts

SEBASTIAN Soon (pic) and Steve Khiew are all pumped up to make a big splash for Federal Territories in their Malaysia Games (Sukma) debuts in the swimming competition starting in Ipoh today.

Only 16, Sebastian is looking promising to upset the form book in the boys’ 400m individual medley for FT following his record breaking performance at the Asean Schools Games in Kuala Lumpur in July.

Sebastian clocked 4:30.85 in the boys’ 400m individual medley to break Lim Ching Hwang’s national record of 4:31.01 set at the Kuala Lumpur SEA Games last year. He also won the 200m individual medley and 1,500m freestyle titles at the school meet.

His time is already well inside the existing Sukma record of 4:34.14 held by Die Ung Manggang of Sarawak since 2002 and he is up for the challenge.

“I hope to do another personal best time again and hopefully, it will be good for a medal.

“I expect Selangor swimmer Jordan Yip, my teammate Steve and Johor’s Tia’a Faang Der to pose a strong challenge, so it will be an exciting fight between us.”

He will also be swimming in the 200m individual medley, 400m and 1,500 freestyle individual events.

The individual medley discipline is the hardest to focus on as one needs to be good in all four strokes and both Sebastian and Steve have put in the hard work.

Steve, who is only 15, is also in with a chance to create an upset in the pool.

His personal best of 2:06.77 clocked in winning the 200m backstroke at the Malaysian Open in May this year makes him a strong contender to take gold.

Steve’s time is faster than the existing Sukma record of 2:07.02 set by Tern Jian Han of Johor since 2014.

“I’m not so good in sprinting, so I’m focusing on the 100m and 200m backstroke. This is a senior competition for me, so it will not be easy but of course, I will try my best,” said Steve.

“Jordan (Yip) will be my strongest rival for the backstroke events.”

Selangor ruled the roost with 20 golds in Kuching two years ago but they can expect FT, Melaka, Penang and Sarawak to give strong fights over the next five days.

Sarawak will be counting on middle and long distance female swimmer Angela Chieng while FT can bank on 100m freestyle national record holder Keith Lim to deliver the goods.

Selangor will be banking on Rosalind Pang, Nadia Adrianna Redza and Jordan to lead the way while Melaka will be hoping Goh Chia Tong can steal the show in the backstroke events.


Read more at https://www.thestar.com.my/sport/swimming/2018/09/17/ft-swimmers-out-to-make-big-splash-in-debuts/#tPIOBiWpiGDfjW32.99

The Star : Keith eyeing national records in his final Sukma

IT’S time to rock the pool with swimmer Keith Lim aiming for a smashing time in his final Sukma appearance at Tuanku Zara Aquatic Centre in Ipoh next week.

The 20-year-old will be swimming for Federal Territories and is aiming to sprint away to a new national record in the 50m freestyle or the longer 100m freestyle race.

Keith clocked 23.10s in the 50m freestyle at the Mare Nostrum series in Monaco in June to erase the previous national record of 23.17s set by Alwyn Tan back in 2015.

His personal best is already well inside the Sukma Games record of 23.45s held by Foo Jian Beng of Selangor since 2008.

The national record for the 100m freestyle is 50.16s held by Daniel Bego since 2009.

“I have gone faster than both Games records for the 50m and 100m freestyle, so I will try to repeat it in Ipoh.

“Hopefully, I can dip under the 23 seconds mark.

“It’s my third and also last Sukma outing, so I just hope to swim as fast as I can to defend the two sprint titles,” said Keith, who is based at Bukit Jalil.

He is a first year student at UCSI University in finance and investment but studies will not take a backseat for the moment.

“There is the Asean University Games in Myanmar in December, so I will continue to train in Bukit Jalil after Sukma,” added Keith, who will also swim the 4x100m freestyle, 4x200m freestyle and 4x100m medley relays for FT.

A total of 38 gold medals are up for grabs in the swimming competition, which takes place from Sept 17-21.


Read more at https://www.thestar.com.my/sport/swimming/2018/09/15/keith-eyeing-national-records-in-his-final-sukma/#rM3e1ZyQFbc1sYHE.99

The Star : Double mission for swimmers

FEDERAL Territories aquatics team have a duty to put up a big splash at the Malaysia Games (Sukma) in Perak.

The team harbour hopes that their sterling performance in Sukma will help convince the Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) to provide funding to refurbish the Bandar Tun Razak Swimming Complex in the city.

The swimming complex is an outdoor pool maintained by DBKL. It was also the venue where Nurul Huda Abdullah splashed to win eight gold medals when Malaysia hosted the SEA Games in 1989, a feat that has never been repeated since.

It has since became the training ground for the FT swimmers and divers but it is badly in need of a roof and a new scoreboard.

“The scoreboard has broken down for some time and we are unable to host any national level meets because of this,” said Nancy. “The existing scoreboard has to be changed as it is too old.

“It’s also been our hope for many years that we have a roof over the pool.

“We either conduct training in the morning or late in the evening because of the hot weather. A simple roof will do.

“Swimming is a good all-round sport and we want to entice more kids to take up the sport with better facilities.

“If we get good results in Sukma, it will help our cause,” she added.

FT, spearheaded by talented youngsters Sebastian Soon (pic), Steve Khiew and Keith Lim, should better the previous haul of five golds from the previous Sukma outing in Kuching, Sarawak two years ago.

“Sebastian and Keith are national swimmers holding national records in the 400m individual medley and 50m freestyle respectively.

“We hope the three of them will finish on top this time. Together with diving, we are hopeful of getting nine or 10 golds from aquatics although we do not have the services of Wong Jun Bin.

“Jun Bin, who took part in the Kuala Lumpur SEA Games last year, could not swim for us as he had to start his studies in the United States this month.

“He would have been a good bet to win in the longer distance freestyle races.”

The FT swimmers have engaged the services of Chinese coach Zhang Hongbao to prepare for the Perak Sukma.

Swimming takes place in Ipoh from Sept 17-21.


Read more at https://www.thestar.com.my/sport/swimming/2018/09/13/double-mission-for-swimmers-ft-team-hope-good-results-in-sukma-will-convince-dbkl-to-refurbish-swimm/#bwuRg1H4QMlvtPF8.99

The Star : Starlets ready to shine

THE Sukma (Malaysia Games) have always been the hotbed for supplying sporting talents for Malaysia. Shuttler Lee Chong Wei, track cyclist Azizulhasni Awang and diver Pandelela Rinong all starred in the previous editions of Sukma before becoming the nation’s sporting icons. StarSport’s LIM TEIK HUAT profiles six athletes who could make their states proud over the next 11 days.

Gillian Lim (bowling)

SARAWAKIAN Nerosha Keligit made history by becoming the first bowler to sweep six gold medals when her state hosted the last Sukma in Kuching two years ago.

Nerosha is no longer eligible and the attention now turns to Gillian Lim.

The 19-year-old did well to clinch the girls’ singles title at the Asian Schools Bowling Championships in Kuching last year and Sarawak will be banking on her to conquer the lanes when the competition starts at the Ampang Super Bowl in Ipoh on Friday.

Born in Miri, Gillian also helped Malaysia win all five golds in the girls’ competition at the Asian Schools meet and she was also part of the team who clinched the bronze in the World Youth Bowling Championships in the United States last month.

Tan Cheong Min (wushu)

HE pint-sized Cheong Min, who only stands at 1.5m, almost stole the thunder from her seniors in the Malaysian wushu team at the recent Asian Games in Indonesia.

Cheong Min, who is from Melaka, could have clinched a medal had she landed properly in the nandao routine.

Cheong Min was reduced to tears because of the mistake as it ruined her plans for a perfect 20th birthday celebration in Jakarta.

However, the world is the playground for the young girl as she is already a silver medallist at the World University Championships in Taiwan last year.

Cheong Min should be going for a sweep of all three events in nanquan discipline (nanquan, nandao and nangun).

Mohd Fadhil Zonis (track cycling)

FADHIL is looking at his last Sukma appearance and the time is right for the 20-year-old to end it on a golden note.

Fadhil will ride for Selangor and will be hoping to strike gold in either the sprint or keirin events in the track cycling competition at the Velodrome Rakyat in Ipoh.

Fadhil, a former 1km time trial Asian junior champion, was part of the team sprint trio who bettered the 10-year national record to take silver in the Asian Games in Indonesia last month.

He was promoted to the Podium Programme after clinching gold in the team sprint and the 1km time trial at the Kuala Lumpur SEA Games last year.

Fadhil, one of a handful of cyclists who has the potential to go far in the national set-up, is based in Melbourne with the elite squad handled by Australian John Beasley.

Sebastian Soon (swimming)

Sebastian Soon

ONLY 16, Sebastian is on course for a smashing debut at the Sukma in Perak following an impressive outing in the Asean Schools Games in Kuala Lumpur in July.

Sebastian clocked 4:30.85 in the boys 400m individual medley to break Lim Ching Hwang’s national record of 4:31.01 set at the Kuala Lumpur SEA Games last year.

Sebastian went on to claim the 200m individual medley and 1,500m freestyle titles at the Asean Schools meet.

Federal Territories can be looking at possibly one or two gold medals from Sebastian if he repeats his form in Ipoh.

The individual medley discipline is the hardest to focus on as swimmers need to be good in all four strokes and credit goes to Sebastian for putting in hard work in the pool.

Nur Izazi Rosli (shooting)

THE 18-year-old has high hopes of following in the footsteps of her idol Nur Suryani Mohd Taibi.

Nur Suryani made her mark with a national record in the 2004 Sukma in Negri Sembilan and has since gone on to represent the country at the 2012 Olympics in London.

Nur Izazi showed she is on the right track by getting selected for the Asian Games in Indonesia last month at the expense of her idol.

The Kuala Lumpur-born shooter marked her Asiad debut by shooting a personal best of 622.3 points in the qualifying to finish in 10th place.

Her previous best was 621.6 points which she did in a local competition last year.

Nur Izazi, who forked out her own money to compete in the Asiad, is hoping to be third time lucky in Sukma after coming close in two previous editions.

Grace Wong (athletics)

SARAWAKIAN Grace is the undisputed No. 1 women hammer athlete in South-East Asia. The 18-year-old holds the SEA Games record of 59.24m, which she did in the Kuala Lumpur SEA Games last year to win the gold.

She also broke the national record with a hurl of 60.99m, which she did at the Mokpo International Open in South Korea last year.

She will start as the overwhelming favourite to retain and also shatter her own Sukma record for the third consecutive time.

Grace was only 14 when she broke the Sukma record with a hurl of 55.82m in Perlis in 2014 and she set a new record with an effort of 57.76m two years later in Sarawak.

PRAKL Talent Carnival 2018 - 3 November, 2018

Persatuan Renang Amatur Kuala Lumpur is pleased to extend our invitation to all swimmers of affiliated clubs/schools of PRAKL to participate in the PRAKL Talent Carnival 2018 to be held at Kompleks Renang Kuala Lumpur, Cheras on 3rd November, 2018.

The Carnival is also opened to novice swimmers from clubs, schools and swimming academies with addresses in Kuala Lumpur and we welcome their participation.

Please refer to attachments for details and rules of the competition.

Closing date for submission of entries is at 5.00pm, 12th October (Friday), 2018.

We look forward to your participation to make this a fun & enjoyable Carnival for the kids.

Organizing Committee
PRAKL Talent Carnival
Persatuan Renang Amatur Kuala Lumpur