Story by Dylan Chua and Chan Hua Zheng/Red Sports. Photos by Soh Jun Wei and Jerald Ang/Red Sports
Quah Ting Wen in action during the women’s 200m freestyle final. She completed it in a timing of 1:59.75, which is the fastest time by a local swimmer in a textile swimsuit. (Photo 1 © Jerald Ang/Red Sports)
OCBC Aquatic Centre, Friday, March 18, 2016 — Quah Ting Wen, 23, kept up her impressive showing at the Singapura Finance 47th Singapore National Age Group Swimming Championships with another two record-breaking performances on the third day of competition.
She clocked 1 minute 59.75 seconds in the women’s 200m freestyle 15 years old and over ‘A’ final, rewriting her own meet record of 2:01.42 set last year. Her timing was also her fastest in a textile swimsuit and just 0.79 seconds shy of the 2016 Olympic ‘A’ qualifying time.
Despite falling short of guaranteeing herself a spot at the Rio Olympics, her timing was an improvement on the Olympic ‘B’ timing of 2:02.13 she clocked at the 2015 FINA World Championships in Kazan, Russia.
Yet, Ting Wen was not exactly delighted with her performance. “Mixed feelings. I was hoping to go a bit faster, I do think I can go faster. This morning I went out on a 57.4; tonight I went on a 58.4. The first 100m tonight was slower than in the morning, but the 2nd 100 was faster,” said the national swimmer who is representing Swimfast Aquatic Club.
In the 200m butterfly heats, Ting Wen swam a time of 2:13.72 which went under the ‘B’ qualification time of 2:13.86 for the Rio Olympics. It was a new meet record for the 18 years old and over, and also just off her personal best of 2:13.59.
“I think the February time trial was a good gauge for where all of us were, in terms of training. After the time trials we started doing more speed and power moves, instead of just anaerobic stuff. Physically we are all very fit. It is more of being in the right frame of mind. In terms of my fitness level I’m really confident in all my events. I think I can drop time in all my events, it’s just by how much. Also, this is the last chance for us to qualify for the ‘A’ time, in terms of the ruling, I cannot, unless I want to do a time trial. I think I want to focus on the rest of my events,” she added.
Jing Wen, 15, Ting Wen’s younger sister, also broke the 200m butterfly meet record for ages 15-17. She touched home in 2:18.10 to rewrite Meagan Lim’s mark of 2:21.60 set on March 21, 2013. Despite finishing fifth in the event, Jing Wen kept the meet record as the four overseas participants who finished ahead of her were not entitled to this privilege.
Apart from the Quah siblings, three other swimmers set new meet records. Gan Ching Hwee, 13, broke the two year-old 200m freestyle record of 2:08.02, finishing with a timing of 2:07.69. Charity Lien, 13, clocked 1:13.75 in the 100m breaststoke to break the year-old record which previously stood at 1:14.00, while Hannah Quek erased her own year-old 50m backstroke record, finishing with a time of 30.57s.
The Singapura Finance 47th Singapore Age Group Swimming Championships continues on Saturday, March 19 at 9.30am.
Women’s results – Day 3 (Evening session)
Women 13-14 years old 200m freestyle
1st Miyu Namba (JPN) – 2:04.48
2nd Gan Ching Hwee – 2:07.69 (meet record)
3rd Georgina Winters – 2-10.34
Women 15-17 years old 200m freestyle
1st Kinuko Mochizuki (JPN) – 2:02.57
2nd Chue Mun Ee Christie May – 2:04.77
3rd Chan Zi Yi – 2:06.94
Women 18 years old & above 200m freestyle
1st Quah Ting Wen – 1:59.75 (meet record)
2nd Nattanan Junkrajung (THA) – 2:02.57
3rd Rachel Marjorie Tseng – 2:04.30
Women 13-14 years old 50m backstroke
1st Mei Ishihara (JPN) – 30.38s
2nd Elizabeth Khoo – 31.57s
3rd Chelsea Khoo – 31.59s
Women 15-17 years old 50m backstroke
1st Maho Sekiguchi (JPN) – 29.76s
2nd Anna Pang – 29.89s
3rd Tamami Katagiri (JPN) – 30.15s
4th Hannah Quek Jia Hui – 30.57s (meet record)
Women 18 years & above 50m backstroke
1st Ratih A A Istri Kania K (INA) – 29.80s
2nd Harley Lopez-Miro – 30.88s
3rd Chantal Liew – 30.92s
Women 13-14 years old 100m breaststroke
1st Charity Lien – 1:13.75 (meet record)
2nd Mei Ishihara (JPN) – 1:14.03
3rd Nana Akao (JPN) – 1:14.55
Women 15-17 years old 100m breaststroke
1st Rina Inabi (JPN) – 1:12.58
2nd Kathlyn Laiu Yilin – 1:14.11
3rd Chue Mun Ee Christie May – 1:14.52
Women 18 years old & above 100m breaststroke
1st Micah Lawrence – 1:08.00
2nd Phee Jing En (MAS) – 1:08.99
3rd Liao Man Wen (TPE) – 1:09.76
5th Tam An Tian Amanda – 1:14.85
Women 13-14 years old 200m butterfly
1st Sydney Chun – 2:20.22
2nd Maho Murakami (JPN) – 2:24.88
3rd Ervina Lim – 2:28.69
Women 15-17 years old 200m butterfly
1st Mizuki Kurashima (JPN) – 2:13.35
2nd Chisayo Nakajima (JPN) – 2:14.58
3rd Akemi Shinohara (JPN) – 2:17.21
5th Quah Jing Wen – 2:18.10 (meet record)
Women 18 years old & above 200m butterfly
1st Chin Khar Yi – 2:23.80
2nd Elysia Marie Chong – 2:26.16
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