The 100m Women’s Freestyle and the U17 Girls 4x100m Relay national records fell, in a record-breaking finale at the Singapura Finance 47th Singapore National Age Group Swimming Championships (SNAG).
In her final event of the meet yesterday, Quah Ting Wen lowered her own personal best 100m Freestyle timing of 55.57seconds – to 55.52 seconds and secured the gold medal at the same time.
In the final day of the 47th SNAG Swimming Championships, Quah Ting Wen lowered her own personal best 100m Freestyle timing of 55.57 seconds to 55.52 seconds.
Ting Wen still subdued despite the achievement
However despite the achievement, Ting Wen was subdued as she failed to hit the Olympic ‘A’ qualifying timings. She said, “I came into this meet happy and confident, swimming strong and I think that helps a lot. I think I made some pretty good ‘B’ times and I’m bummed that I did not make the ‘A’ cuts.”
Ting Wen added, “Normally I’d be overjoyed after achieving personal bests and doing times I haven’t done in a long time, but I think at this meet, everyone is just so focused on trying to make certain cuts and times, the personal bests are almost overshadowed so there are a mix of emotions.”
Coach is proud of her
However, her coach and national head coach, Sergio Lopez, was proud of her performances. He said, “Ting Wen swam her best times since 2009 when she was 17. For her to be so resilient for the past five to six years and the way she’s worked hard, I’m very proud of her.”
He continued, “Ting Wen is probably the best swimmer I’ve ever coached because of her talent and attitude, the way she trains, respects people and helps everybody. I hope she sees that all her work is paying off.”
U17 Girls did well
And in the U17 Girls 4x100m Relay, the quartet of Quah Jing Wen, Christie May Chue, Natasha Ong and Hoong En Qi romped home in a time of 3.50.25 minutes, comfortably under the previous national mark of 3.54.33 minute – which had been set in December last year.
SNAG Prize Presentation ceremony.
Said National Assistant Coach Gary Tan, who oversees the youth development programme, “I think the kids have done a fantastic job. Most of them had a personal best in at least one event, and it’s a good indicator for us to prepare ourselves for the upcoming Junior Pan Pacs in Hawaii. What’s next for the team is that we are going to set up some training camps, both locally and overseas.”
Coach Lopez was pleased with his charges
Overall, Coach Lopez was also pleased with the performance of all his charges. He said “I think we had a good meet. Olympic cuts aside, many good things have happened at this meet. Compared to last year, swimmers are now able to warm up and cool down in the pool, coaches are able to be at the pool with their swimmers and there’s a more vibrant environment which has given new life to the competition.”
Cash prize of $13,700 to be given out
Singapura Finance, the meet title sponsor, will be paying $500 and $200 respectively, for each national and meet record broken by a swimmer, during the competition – as an added incentive to our local swimmers.
And a total cash prize of $13,700 will be given to the Singapore Swimming Association to be dispersed at a later date to the winners, to defray their training costs.
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