Story by Daniel Yeo/Red Sports. Photos by Lee Jian Wei/Red Sports.

Aflah Prawira of Indonesia clocked a time of 8 minutes 7.50 seconds to clinch the gold medal of the Men's 800 Freestyle race. Advait Page of Shishukunj Swimming Academy came in second with a time of 8 minutes 10.22 seconds. Glen Lim of Swimfast Aquatic Club came in third with a time of 8 minutes 15.08 seconds setting a new national record. (Photo © Lee Jian Wei/Red Sports)

Aflah Prawira of Indonesia clocked a time of 8 minutes 7.50 seconds to clinch the gold medal of the Men’s 800 Freestyle race. Advait Page of Shishukunj Swimming Academy came in second with a time of 8 minutes 10.22 seconds. Glen Lim of Swimfast Aquatic Club came in third with a time of 8 minutes 15.08 seconds setting a new national record. (Photo 1 © Lee Jian Wei/Red Sports)

OCBC Aquatic Centre, Wednesday, June 20, 2018 — The first day of the 14th Singapore National Swimming Championships 2018 saw two winners crowned in the Men’s 800m Freestyle and the Women’s 1500m Freestyle events.

However, the focal point of the day had to be 16-year old Glen Lim breaking a National Record in the Men’s 800m Freestyle.

Having previously set the record last December at an Australian swim meet, the Swimfast Aquatic Club swimmer bettered his previous time of 8 minutes and 18.21 seconds by coming in at 8:15.08, shaving three seconds off his best.

Despite breaking his own record, he has higher expectations set for himself. After the race, he told Red Sports: “I feel proud of myself, but I feel like I could have done better. This SNSC was a train-through meet for me, but, considering how hard I’ve trained over the past few months, I should expect myself to do better.”

The National swimmer finished third in the race, behind Indonesian champion Aflah Prawira and Shishukunj Swimming Academy runner-up Advait Page.

In the Women’s 1500m Freestyle, Swimming Victoria’s Sophie Caldwell took home the gold with a dominant time of 16:51.69.

Indonesia’s Ressa Dewi and Singapore Swimming Club’s Chantal Liew rounded out the top three with timings of 17:26.99 and 17:40.01 respectively.

There was no question how Sophie was feeling, as she told Red Sports after the race: “Really happy, it was a 13-second PB (personal best), so I couldn’t be happier.”

Results
Men’s 800m Freestyle
1. Aflah Fadlan Prawira – 8:07.50, new MR
2. Advait Page – 8:10.22
3. Glen Lim Jun Wei – 8:15.08, new NR

Women’s 1500m Freestyle
1. Sophie Caldwell – 16:51.69, new MR
2. Ressa Kania Dewi – 17:26.99
3. Chantal Liew Li-Shan – 17:40.01

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